Snow's Requiem
by Ayuki
Summary: Complete. An isolated Misty and ambitious Gary reluctantly work side by side to achieve their goals whilst being captivated by each other. Egoshipping.
1. Chapter 1: Water's Edge

**Chapter 1: Water's Edge **

Misty remembered the day she was removed from the picture. Ash left with Brock, while she had to watch over the gym; her sisters leaving her no choice but to stay behind. The hat still stood as a remembrance to her. She remembered the handkerchief she gave to him. Now she was on her own. The splash of gym water frequently trickled down her face. The heat of battle didn't interest her anymore. Everyday it was the same. Some random challenger from some random city. They either won or lost depending on their experience, intelligence, and skill. They often underestimate her, thinking they will slide by just owning electric pokemon. Some days, battle was challenging. Or it was irksome.

Misty sighed. "This is so tedious," she thought, looking into the water. She just stood on her side of the battlefield, not even bothering to direct her pokemon to do anything. They already knew what to do without her guidance. The electric trainer lost. And that was the last battle for the day. She sat down on the side, looking away. Her idea of achieving her goal was not just through beating people constantly and handing out badges, but through the traveling with others.

She really missed traveling with her friends and meeting people.

"Stupid sisters…" she thought.

If it weren't for them, she could still be out on an adventure.

Sure, she was accomplishing her goal as a great water trainer. But sometimes dreams get tiresome and should be broken from once in awhile. It was a bit spontaneous, but it was decided.

"Maybe I just need some time to think…" she pondered.

She stepped off into her room, grabbed a small duffel bag of everything she'd need for a few days. She zipped her bag shut and put on a pink puffy jacket, a yellow turtleneck, and jeans. She would close the gym for a few days and take her bags with her. She didn't care that there was a line of trainers waiting outside along the gym to challenge her, despite the fact that she announced already that the previous trainer who lost was the last melee for the day.

"Oh well," she thought. She opened the door, putting the sign informing all trainers to come back in a few days. She turned around towards the road, her back facing the line of trainers yelling out, "Hey! Come back here! You're the gym leader! Where do you think you're going?" Misty just kept on walking. "Shut up…" she thought, while walking off, bags in hand.

It was winter, and it was quite cold outside. She walked to the nearest bus station and paid for her fare to a place not too far away from Cerulean City but just somewhere scenic. She held her belongings against the warmth of her body and sat down on the bench. She sighed as her breath made fog. It was time for her to get on the bus within ten minutes. She looked for a seat and sat down, looking out the window. And off to the mountains she went.

As soon as she reached her destination, she waited for everyone to leave, her being the last to get off. She stepped onto the snow, leaving imprints. She looked around for the nearest lodge, registered a room, grabbed her shoulder bag, and then went outside to walk around. The trees were not in bloom as they looked sad and forlorn without the leaves, no sign of color other than the brown mountain side and the white snow towering everywhere. The environment seemed to fit Misty's mood. It made her feel a bit sentimental and happy, but a little crestfallen also.

"I really must need a new hobby or something to be this bored…" Misty thought to herself.

She walked around, her shoes making crunching noises in the snow. No sign of anything except nature. She figured it was kind of obvious she was lonely since her separation from the group. She missed the frequent company of Pikachu. When she always dragged Brock off by the ear when flirting with every girl that came within his eyesight. And of course, smacking Ash when the opportunity came by. But she had no choice. She had to watch the gym. No one else would.

She sat down on a nearby rock, and then looked up into the sky. The sky contained slow passing white puffy clouds. She sighed another round of sighs. The sighs seemed to be the language of her seclusion. Of course, her pokemon kept her company, but not like how humans did. She picked up a twig off the snow and drew with it on the snow. She remembered the time she and Brock got dragged up the mountain while traveling in a large flurry of snow, due to Ash's stubbornness. She was fortunate that time since she found some source of warmth. She decided to leave as to not get caught up in a storm again like the other times.

Just as she was about to get up and leave to the cabins, a snowball hit her on the head. The snow smacked into her like a huge droplet of water splashing onto the ground.

"Ow! What the heck!" Misty screamed, wiping the snow out of her hair.

Just then, a familiar figure came out of the corner of the rocky mountain.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought your mass of orange hair was a pokemon," the guy said. He was wearing blue, and he had spiked dark brown hair. He looked awfully familiar. Misty took another glance and turned her head to the person.

It was none other than Gary Oak.

**End Chapter 1: Water's Edge. Onto Chapter 2. **


	2. Chapter 2: Typical Encounter

**Chapter 2: Typical Encounter **

Misty rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure you thought my head was a pokemon," she said sarcastically, as she stood up to leave, still brushing off the excess snow in her hair.

"No, I'm not joking. I'm doing research," Gary said, trying to convince Misty.

"Oh. That's nice," Misty said in a nonchalant, indifferent tone.

"Fine, be that way," he answered coldly and walked off with collected data in his hand.

Misty scoffed as she looked down at the snow. She smirked and picked up a handful of snow and threw it at Gary's head, as she remembered every encounter with Gary and only remembered his unpleasantness to Ash with his arrogant ways just to compete for the title of "Pokemon Master."

"Ow! What the hell!" he said, dropping all his papers.

"That's what you get, gloater," Misty said, walking off. Gary just made her mad. It was enough to reminisce of friends and feel cheerless inside, but being pegged in the head with a snowball was the limit and more than enough.

"Tch, dumb girl…" he thought, fixing his papers. "Hey!" Gary called out.

"What?" Misty barked back, turning around.

"Don't you normally hang out with Ash?"

"No. He's not with me."

"Why not?"

"What's it to you?"

"I was just asking… geez"

Misty had the urge to tell the semi-arrogant person what she was feeling. She didn't know him too well other than that he was once Ash's hometown rival. She also knew him as a cocky dunderhead. Ash actually beat him at the leagues and finally made him shut up. Gary then chose a different ambition. To be like his grandfather. She barely talked to this guy. But he was someone. And Misty didn't have anyone.

"Well, if you really want to know, I had to leave the companionship of my friends to watch over Cerulean Gym."

"You're a gym leader?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Nothing in particular, go on with your little story."

"So I've been really bored lately and decided to go off somewhere just to contemplate."

"Contemplate about what?"

"Anything that comes to mind. I know I sound a bit stupid coming here for no reason but I'm not really happy at the moment."

"Oh, I see. Is it because you miss him?"

"Him who?"

"Ash, of course."

Misty turned red and looked the other way. "Not really…"

"I could kind of tell just by analyzing. You guys have been traveling a long time. It would be odd to not have any sort of relationship with him."

"Okay Doctor Jerk, thank you for your inaccurate analysis."

"Yeah, inaccurate I'm sure," he scoffed.

"Ugh, you!" Misty got annoyed and stomped off. Gary was completely correct. But admitting it was the pain, and she especially didn't want Gary to know. She walked away three paces, then tripped over a rock in snow and fell flat on her face, her shoulder bag falling over.

"Erg…" she said as she got up on her knees. She looked up and Gary's hand was right up in her face.

"I can get up myself, thanks," Misty snarled as she smacked Gary's hand away. She remembered that same exact scene when she first met Ash and slapped his hand away when she fell down holding her crispy burnt bike when they were beginner trainers.

"Fine then. Hey what's this?"

Gary picked up Ash's old hat. It fell out of her handbag, with along with other items that spilled out when she tripped.

"Hey, give that back!"

"Isn't this Ash's hat? I thought you didn't like him," he teased.

"You are so annoying, I swear," she said and sat down instead of bothering to get the hat back. Gary was way taller than Misty and it would have been useless to try and get it back.

"Okay here," he said and threw it into her lap.

"So nosey…" she said, putting it back into her bag.

"It's really obvious you miss him, Misty," he said.

"What?" she looked up at Gary. It was the most unexpected thing for him to say. Since when did he care? Gary talked to Ash every once in a while, but Misty was just on the side, he barely talked to Misty ever.

"I'm just telling you the truth. Looks like you don't want it to be revealed either, though."

Misty's mood calmed a little. "No, I don't."

"Well, that's fine, I guess. If you miss him that much, why don't you go see him? I mean, you are taking time off your own gym."

"I don't even know where he is."

"I don't either. Maybe you can go to my hometown and ask people?"

"I'm not that desperate."

"You sure do act different though."

"I'm aware of that. How do you know?"

"I have the ambitions to be just like my grandfather. I have to be analytical."

"Yeah, well put that skill elsewhere, not on me."

"I'm sorry then."

"Well, good bye then," Misty said, turning her back.

Gary shrugged and walked off in the opposite direction of Misty.

"Hey gloater," Misty called off into the distance.

"What?" Gary called out, turning only his head, his back facing her.

"Thanks," she concluded and walked down the mountain.

Misty didn't know why she bothered to tell her ramblings to someone who didn't have much of a life impact upon herself. Perhaps it was because no one was around. Gary was someone, just not someone of great importance to her. She didn't even like him. He came as a big turn-off dripping with arrogance. And those cheerleaders made his ego seem obnoxiously large. Gary may have changed, she felt a little wary for telling him in the first place but she felt she shouldn't have, like she had decided to make some dire decision. But she scratched the thought. It was only Gary Oak she was thinking about. No big deal here. She heard someone's shoes walking up from behind her. "It better not be that arrogant jerk…" she thought.

"Hello, Misty," someone said behind her.

Misty began to get annoyed having to be surprised all the time in a desolate place. But it was that someone she had been wanting to see all this time. She already knew who it was. She smiled, it felt like some stroke of luck to find him here, she began to feel warm again. "Ash! It's nice to see you," she said, happily.

"Same here. You look different…" Ash replied back.

"So have you. I see you've changed your outfit. Where's my bike?"

"Heh, you haven't changed a bit."

"Why are you all the way out here in Kanto, anyway? Shouldn't you be in Hoenn?"

"Me? Oh, I'm just looking around for pokemon, the usual. Well, we were taking a small break off Hoenn. It took a while to get here but you know I always miss the old town. Had to come back and see my mom anyway. What about you? Shouldn't you be in the gym?"

"Well, I decided to leave for a short while. I'll go back in a few days."

"Weren't the trainers mad at you for leaving?"

"Yeah, but if they were real trainers, they'd have patience."

"Misty, it was really nice seeing you again after a long time. I'm leaving for Hoenn in a few days, just to let you know. Getting back takes a long while. And I'm itching to get back."

"Oh, I see."

"Misty, I have to go now. I'm sorry to cut our meeting short," Ash said, holding his hand out.

Misty reluctantly held out her hand as she would rather have a hug, but shaked his gloved covered hand with hers. She was a little disappointed. She did want to spend time with him after several months of separations

"Good bye, Ash," she said, with a sad, serene smile.

"It was really nice seeing you, I really mean that Misty," he said, smiling. Misty suddenly remembered the hat in her bag.

"Hey Ash—" Misty coughed out, reaching into her carrier.

Misty stopped in the middle of her sentence, her hand in the inside of her bag, holding the hat, about to take it out. She completely forgot what she was about to do. Her eyes were now fixated on a girl, who looked a little younger than Ash and her.

"Misty, I have to go. Since you couldn't go with me to the Hoenn Region, I met May and her brother, Max, there, along while traveling with Brock. We've been traveling since."

"It's very nice to meet you, May," Misty said, with the real smile completely wiped of her face and replaced it with a plastered grin. She gave a distorted wave to Max.

Max only smiled back at her.

"Hello, may I ask who you are?" May said gleefully.

"Oh, my name is Misty. I used to travel with Ash," Misty said as nicely as possible.

"Well, we have to run Misty; we're not supposed to stay here very long, and a tournament in Hoenn is coming up soon," Ash said.

"Bye!" May said, waving at Misty while grinning.

Ash kept looking back at her, smirking.

Misty waved back, smiling at the two. She looked up into the sky. A snowflake passed by her cheek very slowly. She heaved one long sigh. Then she looked into the snowy ground. Then looked up into the sky once again. It started to snow very lightly. The snow acted as her tears. She picked up the remaining bags she left at the lodge office, signed out of her cabin, and decided to leave.

**End Chapter 2: Typical Encounter. Onto Chapter 3. **


	3. Chapter 3: Whisk

**Chapter 3: Whisk**

Misty held Togepi in her arms, leaning her head against the window pane. "This was a friggen' waste of money," she thought. She stared outside of the window of the bus. She looked at the trees, which mixed into a blur when she stared at the tree trunks. She didn't know quite exactly what she was feeling at all. She felt a bit "replaced." She did not want to feel jealous or anything of that sort, but she was after all, human and no saint. She felt some remorse for disliking someone she didn't even know at all, but at the same time a bit dejected as she had missed Ash for the longest time. She knew Ash and the girl, May, were not seeing each other, but she did want to be the person traveling with Ash and Brock, not May. She knew Ash was a great person, but it wasn't time to move on. She obviously had a special relationship with Ash. She was very adamant to confessing it and tried her best to hide it as much as possible. She knew she made it obvious through some of her actions, but she didn't care. She reminisced of the time she first met him. The bike constantly stood as a figure as to why she "followed" him. Eventually the stupid bike became the reason for friendship. She remembered being defined as "that crazy girl who kept following Ash," but that went away soon enough. She had been through so many regions with him. And every single stupid situation they got themselves into. Hey, at least she saw several things she wouldn't be able to see if she traveled alone before. And she knows quite a lot of people because of her traveling time with Ash.

But still. It hurt too much. She did not at all desire to be envious or invidious about what had just occurred. So the sorrow took over, a bit of tears dripping from her eyes. Togepi looked up at her trainer as to look what was wrong with her master. Misty quickly wiped away the tears to make it look like she was fine. She smiled down at her pokèmon. She looked around, moving her eye balls, as to cover up her previous tearing. The bus stopped. She decided to be the last one to leave again. She picked up her bag and walked back to the gym again. The stupid eager trainers were still out there. "Oh, so you finally come back, eh?" they said annoyingly to Misty, who was walking back slowly as the cold wind flowed through her orange hair. She didn't bother to make a snide remark to the impatient trainers and just walked back in, taking off the closed sign. She dropped her luggage down in her room, then walked outside and plopped on the chair. She let Togepi walk around, as she didn't care for the time being what happened. She wanted to slump in her chair, let her worries just drift off somewhere that would not be in her head. It would not go away obviously. She looked up at the gym ceiling.

"Maybe one of those poles up on the ceiling will fall and smack me on the head. Then I'll forget everything," she thought. That obviously was ridiculous wishful thinking. She knew she couldn't run away from problems.

She didn't feel like having any request challenges from anyone right now. It wasn't proper etiquette as a gym leader to be lazy and refuse trainers to compete for a water badge. She walked outside.

"All trainers, please come tomorrow. No exceptions," she said, then closed the door. The trainers all groaned but she just rolled her eyes. "Impatient dorks," she thought.

She went back in and headed for the kitchen to grab a beverage. Then someone knocked on the door. "Erg. Insolent trainer. So stubborn," she thought, while holding water in her hand. The stubbornness reminded her of Ash. She sighed and opened the door out of pity.

"Well, hello again Misty," a familiar person said at the door. It was Gary Oak.

"Is this guy stalking me?" she thought, just staring at him. "Why are you here?" she asked him.

"Well, Miss Pissy, I would like to do some research in your water lab, I do believe you have one, right? Most gyms should have one nowadays."

"Yeah, I do. Why do you need it? There are several laboratories everywhere. Your grandfather has one," she pointed out. "Go use his and stop bothering me."

"Well, your gym has caught my attention since there is some research here I can do," Gary said.

"And why does my gym concern your research?" Misty questioned.

"Stop being such a pain. I just need to research certain things if I want to prove what I'm doing here. Your gym is the water gym. What I'm focusing on is based on water studies."

"Fine," she said, and finally swung the door open.

"Thank you, geez," Gary said, frowning at Misty for being really stubborn.

He walked passed her quite indifferently. Misty walked in front of him to show the laboratory. He reluctantly followed behind her. She felt a little uncomfortable while leading him but showed him to the laboratory. He walked in without saying anything, while holding a mass of papers onto a clipboard.

Misty walked out, leaving him alone. She really didn't want to converse with him and didn't want to have anything to do with him in the first place. She had nothing to do. The place was empty. Maybe she should have just let the annoying trainers in just not to be bored again. She sighed and walked to the kitchen to make herself dinner. She was already hungry enough having to be in the snow and face a harsh reality she didn't want to see. She put some pork cutlet on the stove and let it heat. She started staring at the meat. She knew how much Ash loved to eat. She stared at it way too long that she completely forgot to flip it over. Now it was burnt.

"Damn it, I wasted food," she thought, discarding it, and looking into the refrigerator for more unthawed food that she could munch on. She found some fish and decided to fry it. She wasn't craving fish but she just wasted her previous meal. The fish reminded her of the time she first met him, when he was a young trainer, and she pulled him out of the water. She contemplated more. But… the fish burned.

"Uh, your food is burning," someone pointed out, breaking her train of thought despite the smell of burning fish. Misty shook her head, and saw Gary near her.

"Oh dang it, I just wasted more food," she mumbled.

"Do you even know how to cook?" Gary asked with a slight smirk on his face.

"Yes, I know how to cook!" she snapped.

Gary looked into the trash. "Well, you certainly wasted a lot of food just cooking," he pointed out. Misty wanted to yell, "Shut up" at him, but she didn't. She just looked up at him with a frown while dumping the burnt fish into the trash compactor.

She just put the used pans into the sink and sat down on a barstool in the kitchen, looking at the hardwood floor.

"Is something wrong?" Gary asked.

Misty rolled her eyes and gave a sarcastic "No…"

"I was just asking," he said, getting annoyed at her constant sarcasm.

"I'm not usually this mean," she finally breathed out.

"Well, I guess not," he said. "I mean, when you were traveling, you seemed to be a nice person. But I kind of didn't notice."

Misty looked up at him and eyed him strangely.

"What's all that mess of paper?" she asked out of the blue, breaking the uncomfortable silence made between her and Gary.

"Oh, well. I'm currently trying to prove my thesis on water pokèmon."

"What sort of thesis?"

"Well, since I am no longer striving to be a Pokèmon Master, I do other more interesting things like research, statistics, anatomy and such. I want to prove the grave importance of water pokèmon that most people don't see. I also want to prove that just because they contain the weakness such as water being weak against thunder isn't always the case, as most trainers think."

"I see, very complicated yet innovating," she said like she was bored of him talking.

"Well, I thought you'd be interested since you are the water gym leader."

"I was, I'm sorry; I just don't feel like engaging in some conversation right now. How did you know I was the gym leader here?"

"I didn't, I just traveled to Cerulean Gym because it specializes in water. And then I saw you open the door."

There was another uncomfortable silence.

"Why do you keep talking to me?" she finally asked. It did not seem to be a suitable question.

"I don't know why I do. Because you're here?"

Misty glanced at him. It didn't seem to be a legitimate answer to her.

"Uh huh, yeah I'm sure."

"Aw, don't start with the sarcasm attitude again."

"I'm sorry. I'm just… bothered right now."

"About what?"

"I don't know."

"Is it Ash?"

Misty just looked at him again, but finally confirmed a silent, "Yes."

"Is it because of that girl?"

"Why does he always read my mind, its annoying," she thought.

He continued talking. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. I didn't know you'd feel this bad. I knew you always traveled with him, so I was questioning who the other person was while I was at the mountains looking for other water-type pokèmon that live in snow."

"Is that why you asked me that impertinent question while I was there?"

"Yes."

They began to engage in mindless chit chat just to pass the time.

Meanwhile, Ash was with May, Max, and Brock, just walking back from the nearest town. It was cold and still a bit snowy outside. Ash still had the image of Misty in his mind. She seemed awfully sad and lonely. He kept wondering if it was just him or if something was really wrong. He stopped walking.

"Is something wrong?" May asked.

"Yes, there is," he said, turning back.

"Ash, where are you going?" Brock asked. "If you want your next badge, it's this way, not that way."

"I have something important I need to do that I seem to have forgotten," he said, looking into the ground. He turned his back and walked off into the distance. "You guys can stay here," he said with Pikachu on his back.

"Uh, okay Ash," May said, looking at him quite intensely as if something was really wrong.

Back at Ceriulean Gym, Misty seemed to be fascinated at Gary's knowledge of pretty much everything about Pokèmon.

"He's very intellectual, I see," she thought. She appeared to have forgotten her woes for the time being.

He started explaining some of his adventures to her, and she seemed to be looking into someone that was like-minded of her. A strong willing person who also had somewhat of an ego. She also saw past the arrogant façade of Gary. Inside, he was most likely lonely but was a master at hiding it. He had cheerleaders to cover that up before. After that, he went on his own with his top pokèmon, Eevee. And eventually to the point where he changed his life path. She knew he had not been engaging much in any relationship and his grandfather was quite too busy doing other things to notice him.

"I travel alone. So most of what I do is individualist stuff," he concluded.

"Well, for me. I'm a hot-headed person and I lose my temper a lot," Misty started out.

"I noticed," he replied.

"I'm scared of a couple of things and I always held the dream to be a water pokèmon master. I don't know… after a few years, my dream doesn't seem as inspiring as it once was. And because of my sisters, I had to take over the gym. And I've been alone for quite awhile. I don't mind it. I'm just, well, bored and lonely."

"I can see that. By the way, it's getting late. I might drop by tomorrow. I didn't completely finish my research. I was getting tired, I walked outside then I saw you attempting to cook."

"I know how to prepare food!" she said, twitching her eyebrow.

"Hmm. I'm sure you do," he said while smirking and walked towards the door.

It was now silent in the gym. She could hear the splash of water since her various pokèmon wading in the pool.

And now, she felt a little more at peace, like her spirits have been lifted. Her sadness felt at ease. But she didn't know why.

Ash was still traveling.

**End Chapter 3: Whisk. Onto Chapter 4.**


	4. Chapter 4: Water Reflection

**Chapter 4: Water Reflection **

It was a cold morning. Nothing new. Misty woke up staring at the ceiling feeling like her bored usual self. She huddled in her sheets since it was a snowy morning once again and the window was right above her, the cold wind seeping right on top of her head like a sheet of ice. She didn't feel like getting up. She already knew what was in for her for the day.

"Yet another batch of young challengers outside my door," she thought, looking at the wall. There were some pictures of her with Ash and Brock when she was still a younger water trainer.

She wanted to sleep more. Dreaming seemed like a better reality than the redundant one she was stuck in everyday. At least something different happened in her dreams that occurred each night. But she knew that depending on some artificial world would only make her crazy. And sleeping too much isn't good for anyone. She didn't seem as unfulfilled as before, but it still felt the same since her recent visit from Ash, Brock, and May. She rolled out of bed since she had to get up sooner or later anyway, and there were probably trainers outside. And it wouldn't be nice for them to shiver outside. She dressed up in daily clothes and went to the outer gym, which was separated from her room. Her shoes made sounds which echoed all over the gym. The sun shone from the frosty windows eighty feet above the gym, which made the water's reflection look spectacular on the ceiling. She liked staring at it. It brought her tranquility. There were a few pokémon swimming in the pool as she motioned them to get out of the water, and inspected that all of them were there and checked if they were normal in health. She petted one of the pokemon and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. She took out some eggs and toast, while remembering her sentence from last night:

_I know how to prepare food! _

She twitched her eyebrow at the thought of Gary Oak, the so-called pokemon professor in-training, who seemed to annoy her, but she couldn't deny that he really knew his facts. She ate her food fast, and then walked up to the door to get the first trainer in line. It turned out to be a scrawny kid who looked somewhat like a novice. Misty announced the rules to him and got on her side of the battlefield. She summoned her first pokemon out of the water, Starmi. What shocked and surprised her was that the trainer picked the obvious choice, which was to choose an electric pokemon. Except this electric type was a Pikachu.

"Ugh, out of all choices…" she thought. She was thinking of Ash. But she put away her emotional feelings and thought of the battle. Misty didn't bother to say anything while the trainer said, "Electric shock!"

Misty just stared. She knew she had trained Starmi well enough to be resistant against electric type attacks. Starmi just whirled around, reflecting the jolts, then smacked into the Pikachu. The Pikachu fell into the water, injured as it took a direct blow into the face. The trainer looked stunned, worrying about his Pikachu's health and stats. Misty's Starmi directly kept going towards it. Misty forgot one factor. Although she had an advantage because Starmi had water as an all-around environment to recover, the Pikachu was completely submerged in water, so it could produce a huge thunder attack, measuring up to an incredible amount of joules. And there is a point when water-types can no longer resist against the shock against an electric jolt. The trainer directed a thunder attack.

"Oh crap!" Misty thought. She only remembered that rule now. But it was too late. The Pikachu carried out its attack, thus knocking out Starmi. She got her first choice battle pokemon knocked out for the first time in a great while. She ran to her Starmi's aid and comforted it, letting it sit in a freshwater pool on the side. She had to pick a secondary one. And this was her last choice, since she did announce only two pokemon are to be used in a match for rules. She summoned for Dewgong, which resided in one of the side pools of the gym. It jumped out, with water dripping all around its body fur, and immediately jumped in front of Misty for the battle. Misty knew her Dewgong was well trained, as the last time she saw it perform was when she had to play the role of a mermaid, and it did its Aurora Beam quite nicely, and she was sure it had improved. The trainer directed his Pikachu to do a Quick Attack all around the Dewgong but since there was a lack of solid ground, it tripped into the water. Misty remembered this time to not let Dewgong chase after it underwater, thus opening her mouth to give directions for the first time.

"Don't go after it, just stay where you are!" she said to Dewgong. It listened with complete loyalty. "Prepare for it," she said quietly to Dewgong, partially like a whisper.

She knew the Pikachu would run out of air sometime. And it did after a few seconds. Right when it surfaced its head, Dewgong gave a powerful Aurora Beam, knocking out Pikachu. The trainer was very shocked and decided to forfeit the match. He carried it out of the ring, while looking solemn. Misty remembered that image when Ash walked out of many gyms with his gravely injured Pikachu back when he was competing in the Kanto and Indigo regions, and he was so determined appear as the victor with his precious Pikachu. The trainer walked outside the doors of Cerulean Gym. Misty walked to her Starmi lying in the fresh water pool. It's jewel in the middle was blinking.

"Not bad, but for a gym leader, you do forget some aspects of water pokemon" someone said from behind her, interrupting her reflective thoughts again.

Misty turned her head while holding one of the arms of her Starmi. "Oh. You again," she said, kneeling at her Starmi's injuries.

"I hope you remember why I'm here. Or did you forget like in counterpart with your bad sense of home economics?" Gary said just to agitate her for fun.

Misty was about to yell again to tell him to be quiet but she just walked silently walked to the water laboratory, and opened the door for him. He walked past her silently. But their passing each other felt somewhat awkward. Misty just blinked and walked back to her Starmi and put it in the recovery room while giving it some antidotes. She let in more challengers in.

Two hours passed. Gary made a lot of progress and Misty beat three trainers with no effort. She knew her pokemon were getting tired, so she gave a break for two hours to allow them to recover. During this time, Gary made even more advancement with his findings in the lab. Misty made herself lunch and ate some rice. Gary smelled the aroma of food from the room he was occupying and walked outside to the outer gym.

"I smell food. Can I have some? Or did you burn it all?" he asked, trying to be funny.

"How much longer are you going to harp up on my bad cooking? It's getting old," she said, looking at him with monotonous eyes, while chomping on rice at the same time.

"Geez, sorry. Well, I kind of forgot my wallet today. I was wondering if I could have some food."

"Oh, how informal."

"You're not older than me. I can talk to you any way I want to."

"And just how old were you when you first started out as a trainer?"

"Ten."

"And I was twelve at that time. So there."

Gary rolled his eyes. He knew she wouldn't give in. "May I please have some food?" he asked sarcastically.

"Stop faking," she said, stuffing steamed vegetables in her mouth.

Gary heaved a frustrated sigh. His stomach was grumbling, after all.

"Misty, may I please have some lunch?" he asked without any implied tone.

She stopped chewing, and finally said, "Yes, you may. Go serve it yourself. I'm not your servant and I'm not running a restaurant either."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," he fired back.

Misty dropped her jaw with rice in her mouth, while looking exasperated at the same time. She was about to say something, but before she could, Gary said in a comical tone, "Ew, how gross. I thought gym leaders would have some eating etiquette at your age."

"You know what!" Misty said, extremely annoyed. She put her chopsticks down. She wasn't mad enough to make Gary leave. She found it rather insulting but witty at the same time.

"No, I don't know what," he said, with his arms folded across his chest.

Just at that time, Ash had finally made it all the way back to Cerulean Gym. He stood outside in the chilly surroundings. It brought back memories. He smiled. He wanted to just bring in old times with Misty. He knew he had acted quite clueless in the past as to actually never get her obvious hints of affection. But he finally saw them now. He felt a little slow. "Hey, it's better late than never," he thought. There was a line of trainers outside.

"Hey you," a trainer in line said to him.

"What?" he said back. "If you're going to challenge her, you're going to have a long wait. So get in the back of the line."

"Oh, I'm not going to challenge her, I'm an old friend."

"Well, I think she's talking to someone right now," one of the trainers stated.

"Oh. I see." It did not seem to be a major concern to Ash as he walked up the steps.

Misty was still arguing with Gary, who was leaning against the refrigerator. He was getting really hungry.

"With that attitude, you're not getting any food. You can just stay in the lab all day!" Misty said, looking away.

"Tch, fine. I'll just tell my grandfather you're starving me to death on purpose," Gary stated with a small smirk.

"What? Well you could have been smarter to actually bring something! Since when am I obligated to feed you? And what are you? Five years old? Why would you complain to your grandpa about being hungry?"

"Well I'm too busy to pack lunches!"

"Yeah sure… I bet you need someone to dress you and everything," Misty shot back. It was like a real challenge and yet really amusing to argue with Gary.

"What are you? My mother?" Gary said sarcastically.

Ash walked in and saw the two of them in the kitchen. Misty saw him in the corner of her eye. Gary didn't since his back was turned. Misty was a bit surprised, but not to a huge extent. Gary noticed the change in her facial expression and the direction of her eyeballs then turned around.

"Hey, you guys," Ash said, with Pikachu on his back like usual.

**End Chapter 4: Water Reflection. Onto Chapter 5. **


	5. Chapter 5: Spiral

**Chapter 5: Spiral **

"A-Ash," Misty said throatily.

Gary just stood there with his hungry stomach.

"What's up?" Ash asked, putting his Pikachu on the ground. Pikachu ran to Misty and tapped her on the shin. Misty smiled and picked up Pikachu.

"Nothing much," Misty said, trying to not look at Ash.

Gary still hadn't said anything. He walked back to his laboratory. Misty wistfully watched him walk away into the hallways. But Gary was still hungry. He resumed his work, but he didn't feel like doing it.

"You look different. A little taller," Ash said.

"Yeah. There's nothing much going on here. Just everyday gym battles. Well, your appearance has changed. You finally changed your clothes." Misty said back.

Ash smiled. "You're still the same ol' Misty I know."

Misty didn't reply back to his statement.

"So, how are things?"

"Well, I'm kind of bored here. I just do my duty as a qualified gym leader."

Misty thought this conversation was going nowhere. "Why did he come here?" she thought. But she knew it wouldn't be a nice thing to ask.

"So why is Gary here?" Ash asked.

"Clueless as usual," Misty thought to herself and chucked in her head.

"Oh, he's doing research here. You know he's not being a pokemon master anymore. He wants to be a professor like his grandfather."

"Oh, that's cool."

Misty got bored of the pointless conversation and just decided to ask anyway. "Why did you come here, by the way?"

Ash didn't quite know how to answer the question. Shouldn't Misty be happy to see her?

"I just wanted to check up on how you were," he said finally.

"That's all?" Misty said

"Well, not just that. I kind of miss you on our journeys," he said.

"Well, you have Brock, May, and Max. I'm sure they're good company for you. And you have Pikachu also."

"Yeah, but it's just not the same without the accompaniment without a water trainer. You."

Misty didn't know what to say. Was he telling her his feelings?

"I'd like it if you would join me back. But I know you can't."

Misty thought how to word this carefully. She loved water pokemon. She wouldn't abandon it for anything else. Her boredom in the gym was finally gone. A new light came into her head, but she didn't know why. She felt a bit lifted in spirit.

"Ash, you already know I can't come along. I'm pretty sure you'll do fine without me. The gym and the pokemon here need me."

Ash blinked twice. Then he smiled at her. "I understand, Misty. It was really great seeing you again."

He left towards the door.

"Wait!" Misty said back to him.

"What is it?" he said, turning around.

"Is this all you came back for? To ask me to join back with the gang?"

"Well, kind of…" he said, smiling. "It's getting late so I don't want to travel back to the Hoenn Region at night."

Misty pondered whether or not she should let him stay in the gym. But she didn't want to spark up a old rival revival and let the two clash. She felt a little awkward as to let Ash's old rival be entwined with her personal relations.

"Wo-would you like to stay?" she asked very quietly.

Ash turned around.

"No, its okay, Misty. I don't want to invade your personal space," he said, picking up Pikachu, and leaving through the door. "I'll just go to stay at the Pokemon Center or something,"

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Yes," he said and left. Pikachu waved back to Misty.

Misty closed the door. She felt very dumbfounded. She didn't know what to make of the situation. She knew she couldn't join Ash even if she wanted to for very obvious reasons. But she didn't want to leave her so-called "prison" she called the Cerulean Gym. Her sisters wondered how her sisters coped with being here all day. But knowing her sisters, they had company with them. And plus they put on shows for people to watch. She felt she had something to do now, like a wanted obligation. Did she want to watch over Gary and just talk to him? She didn't know. She did feel a small yearn to go back with Ash. But she didn't mind it and sat down. She pulled out a tray, arranging food for Gary working in the laboratory. She knocked on the door.

"Yes?" he said.

"I brought you some dinner," Misty said softly.

Gary opened the door for her. Misty set it on the table, but then she stared at the mess all around the lab.

"Ahh! What did you do to my lab!" she said, freaking out. There were papers

Scattered everywhere, data collections on the floor, equipment not in the proper places, and supplies all out of order and lying on the floor.

"Don't worry, I'll clean it up," he said, immediately going to his food and chowing down on it.

"You are such a slob," she said.

"What did Ash want?" Gary asked, talking with his mouth full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Misty said back at him.

Gary only looked up at her and chewed his food. "Whatever," he said.

Misty frowned and walked outside, but stopped at the doorframe.

"Hey Misty, what did Ash want?" Gary asked for a second time.

"Oh he just wanted to check up on me." Misty said in a small voice.

"Hmm… looks like someone likes you!" Gary joked, hoping to make her mad.

"He acted like he was admitting it."

Gary was surprised she wasn't yelling back at him to have another funny conversation. Funny in his opinion, that is.

"Are you okay?" he asked, mixing around his rice.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said very quietly. "What do you care?" she thought at the same time.

Gary got up and washed his own dishes. He knew Misty was thinking about Ash. In a way, he felt caught in the middle. He was smart enough as to not aggravate her, so he decided not to talk to her and just go back to work.

"Thanks for cleaning your own mess," Misty said to him in the kitchen.

"I'm not a pig, mind you," Gary said back.

"I'm sure you're not. But that sure doesn't go with the clutter you left in my laboratory."

"Research takes up a lot of space. Oh wait, that's right. You don't research."

"For your information Mr. Dumb Ass, I am very knowledgeable upon water pokemon."

"Oh yeah? Let's have a battle then. Let's see who's knows their facts better. And I'm _sure_ that's not you."

"You're on," she said.

Misty finally found a challenge she knew to be worthy. And interesting too.

Meanwhile, Ash was with Pikachu at the Pokemon Center, sitting outside. He sighed and fed Pikachu some food pellets that were carefully prepared by Brock. He missed Misty but didn't really want to state it in that manner. He did have better things to do. Well, not really. He looked up into the sky. He took off his hat and remembered his old hat, which was in Misty's possession now. Pikachu jumped on his lap. It looked up at him and could tell something was wrong.

"Nothing's wrong, Pikachu. Don't worry," he said. The two just sat there on the concrete bench.

"She sure had changed," Ash thought. "And maybe moved on…"

Back at the Cerulean Gym, Misty and Gary were at opposite ends of the battle field, about to fight.

**End Chapter 5: Spiral. Onto Chapter 6. **


	6. Chapter 6: Snowfall

**Chapter 6: Snowfall **

The two stood at opposite ends of the battlefield. The sunset gleamed through the window panes and into the water, giving a shine onto the ceiling and reflecting onto the two faces of the opponents standing.

Misty stood on her end, the water directing shining into her direction, masking her sadness and making her appear a bit more confident.

Gary stood on the right end of the field, in a bit of thought of how to plan out his battle. The water did not reflect upon his face, making him look as if the shadows were draping his face and a bit like an opposing enemy.

Misty decided she better tell the rules to the egotistical trainer, or professor-in-training, whatever he was, before he broke them, or even worse, defeat her. And she didn't want that, of course.

"Hey you!" she yelled from the opposite side of the field.

"What? Quit stalling!" Gary yelled back at her.

"Based on my rules, I only allow a two pokemon limit, okay?"

"Yes, yes like I didn't know that before. I watched your other previous battles where a certain someone was dozing off and staring into space."

Misty didn't want to argue with him. She just pulled out her first pokemon. It was a Vaporeon. Misty had increased her pokemon inventory since the last time she had her adventures with Ash, and her inventory was quite impressive since she spent a lot of time hanging out in the gym and capturing pokemon from around Cerulean. The Vaporeon stood upon a small rock above the water, glistening with pride. Gary just stood there. He looked like he was thinking. Misty couldn't figure him out. Three minutes passed by. She finally got agitated and yelled at Gary to hurry up. "I wish I had put a time limit in the rules regarding trainers to just stand there," she thought, holding a pokèball in her hand. She was getting tired of waiting.

Gary stood there, his hand on his chin. "I could use Eevee as a regular all-around rugged type… but I haven't trained her well enough in water since the terrain on here is barely five percent grounds, and she could slip into the water and drown. I'm going to take a gamble. I'll use a fire-type pokemon. This is risky… knowing that everything here is water, but I think I've done a good job training." Finishing up his thoughts, Gary finally pulled out Arcanine. Arcanine jumped out and stood on one of the three stepping stones of the arena. Gary knew he was at a disadvantage, but he was all right with it.

"Finally— wait… is he crazy? He knows he's going to lose if he uses that. There's barely any ground for that thing to run around on." Misty thought, although she knew she could not underestimate this guy.

"I know what I'm doing…" Gary thought. Well, actually he didn't. He just felt he could just slide by with intelligence, so he felt somewhat certain about his decision. He was concerned for the well-being of his pokemon though. If Arcanine were to drop into the water, his recovery would not be fast. It would be slow and painful for his pokemon. But he understood that being scared would not gain him any experience.

Misty decided since Gary would be stalling constantly, she would be the first to attack, and then yelled out, "Vaporeon, mist!"

The entire arena became hazy. Gary became worried. He yelled out, "Arcanine, remember the training!"

Gary's loyal pokemon remained still on the rock. It reminisced of the hard training a long while ago. Gary gave him an equilibrium lesson, working three whole days on keeping on its paws and not falling down. It also remembered the training when having to traverse through water regions to become more resistant to water. Arcanine tried to look past the haze but got smacked in the face with Vaporeon's tail. It hurt, but Arcanine did a back flip and perfectly landed on the nearest rock four feet away.

The mist began to lift.

"I knew this would be harder than I thought," Misty thought, staring at Gary across the field from her. "Go into the water!" she ordered Vaporeon, and it immediately jumped into the water.

Arcanine just stood upon the scarce land around, looking around for any nearing shadows in the water signifying Vaporeon's next attack. Gary also stared fiercely, as if the battle had consumed his mind. Misty was doing the exact same thing. She had planned for this. She trained all her pokemon for this technique. Another double attack surprise. Usually, giving two orders at once when it isn't your turn to direct an attack is against the rules, but not if the pokemon does the damage itself without being directed by the trainer. It took Misty a very long while to train majority of her pokemon to get the general idea of how a double attack surprise worked. A few seconds passed, and then Vaporeon jumped out the water with no warning and gave out an Aurora Beam attack. Arcanine just did the exact similar same thing as before, jumping onto the next stone available.

Gary still hadn't said anything other than, 'Remember the training.'

"So… that's how he wants to play it, huh?" Misty thought. She figured it out. Gary was just having Vaporeon waste energy since she noticed Arcanine's ability to jump around great distances with precision. Gary would just have Arcanine jump around and have Vaporeon use up all its energy on attacking, get tired, then knock her out. "I won't allow that to happen," Misty thought, and then yelled out, "Vaporeon, body slam!"

Like a mind reader, Vaporeon smashed against the rocks, leaving only one platform left for Arcanine to stand on.

"She catches on fast," Gary thought. "But she's only getting herself into a trap." He still remained quiet. He trusted Arcanine's instincts.

"Why is he so calm? There's only one rock left. What is he going to do?" she thought. It might be unpleasant but no trainer she knew in her history of gym leadership had passed this phase without losing or forfeiting.

Gary finally ordered Arcanine to do something. "Dig," Gary said quietly, with Arcanine quickly making a dark hole with the last remaining rock.

Misty thought she'd better clog that hole with water. "Hydro pump," she said softly with a smirk on her face.

Vaporeon took a big breath and was around to squirt her water gun into the newly dug hold, but Arcanine quickly sprinted out of the ground and delivered his attack. A fire blast. It was a direct hit. One match won by Gary. He just stood there with no smirk to aggravate Misty whatsoever.

Misty was really getting mad now. How could she let that jerk defeat her, the Cerulean Gym Leader? Her pride would not allow her to be stomped by some random overconfident person who spent the few days in her gym doing his sloppy research and constantly made fun of her cooking. She finalized her next pokemon choice. Not many trainers knew she owned this specific water pokemon, and barely one or two may have seen her use it, but she trained it, and it was her prized and most advanced pokemon of all. She pulled out Articuno. She hoped she was not being too hasty in using it, but she knew she had already won the battle.

"Relying on high level pokemon, are we?" Gary said in a funny tone.

"You keep quiet. I know Arcanine is probably tired," Misty said back to him.

"You don't know that."

The two trainers leered at each other with competitive spirit. Neither of them desired to lose. Especially to each other. They didn't say a word as their pokemon fought the battle, while glaring at each others faces. Their pokemon were that well trained. The both of them were surprised by the high levels they had obtained in their pokemon via hard work and training.

Articuno just hovered above the arena, with Arcanine staring at it like a shooting target. Articuno dove down; knowing Arcanine had nowhere to flee to. But Arcanine did something unexpected, except to his trainer of course. It back flipped into the air and onto Articuno's back. Gary just smiled with gloating glee at his pokemon's performance just to make Misty sizzle with frustration. Articuno tried really hard to get the annoying pup off its back but Arcanine held on tight. Articuno spun in a 360 degree angle, where Arcanine fell off finally, but while still in the air, delivered a powerful fire attack. Articuno simultaneous gave out the ice beam attack at the moment Arcanine let go. The two attacks collided, creating a mass of ice shards melting and formulating into snow and slowly falling onto the gym arena. It was somewhat beautiful. Misty and Gary both looked up with awe while the temporary snow fell down onto their faces. This was not typically seen in trainer battles. Neither Misty nor Gary knew which attack to give next.

Arcanine landed back on the remaining stepping stone above the water, with Articuno flying right at it. Gary was trying to think of the next attack to give. But he couldn't think of anything. With no land to get onto and the Articuno would obviously avoid the next time Arcanine would try to jump on its back. Since Gary was out of ideas, he yelled out, "Hyper beam!" to Arcanine. Arcanine missed, with Articuno just flying out of the way.

Instead it hit Misty.

Something that Gary did not want at all. His eyes widened in repulsion. He raised his hand signifying that Misty won the battle, him forfeiting and ran to the other side of the battle field. Misty did not look okay. He didn't want to give up on a battle but this was not a time for him to be thinking of winning. She just received the impact of Arcanine's attack. And he knew Arcanine's attacks were very strong. She was unconscious, laying on the floor. The fallen snow from the previous attacks were melting into water, surrounding the two of them. Gary didn't know what the heck to do. He tried really hard not to panic. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and would call the paramedics.

"Don't call the lousy hospital…" Misty spoke under her breath, very softly.

"Misty! Are you okay? I'm really, really sorry," Gary said with a pleading voice. But he meant it this time, and he sat by Misty's side, with his bottom soaking since there was water all over the floor.

"I know you didn't hurt me on purpose. It was an accident."

"But I really should take you to the hospital. Pokemon attacks inflict damage on humans also. You know that."

"Well if you knew your facts well, you would know a hyper beam attack only drains out energy of a pokemon and makes the pokemon lose one turn due to the inflicted damage. It doesn't really inflict physically damage. Just makes you feel weak. I thought you would know that."

Gary frowned but at the same time smiled a little bit. "But don't you feel drained and about to faint?"

"I've trained a lot since I got back here to this gym; lots of my water pokemon have that attack, and believe it or not, I have been hit by it before. But yes, I am weak."

"Do you want me to do anything?"

"Yeah, clean up this water mess all over the floor your Arcanine made. If you're actually strong, can you carry me to my room?"

"Yeah, sure. I did not make the water mess, mind you."

Gary picked up Mist off the floor, but he felt strange carrying her. He couldn't explain to himself why. He walked slowly to her room, trying not to look at her in the face although he was really near her face, then placed her on her bed, then left. "Thanks," Misty said, lying very still. Her chest was really hurting.

Gary looked for the mop in the kitchen and cleaned up the water. He called back Arcanine and told Articuno that Misty would be all right. Articuno perched on the remaining rock on the arena, staring Gary with mild resentment for accidentally hurting its trainer.

Gary turned around and resumed cleaning up the water, but slipped on the remaining water on the ground. "Ouch," he thought, getting himself up.

Misty rested with her hurting self.

**End Chapter 6: Snowfall. Onto Chapter 7. **


	7. Chapter 7: Clash

**Chapter 7: Clash**

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to _Maia's Pen_, my new beta-reader. Also to _waining-moon_ for giving me the idea of Gary and Ash getting into an argument.

Ash was still at the pokemon center. He was staring at the night sky for the billionth time. He knew the factors wouldn't change no matter how much he stared at the sky. It wasn't like he had the power to change things by just gawking at what came to pass. Reality wouldn't change. It stays the way it is until someone does something about it. Ash knew he lost his chance. He remembered how he acted mindless, like he didn't have a clue when he was traveling with Misty the first time around and now it was too late. Times have changed and he had May on his side. There was a lingering feeling of wanting to be by Misty's side, but by what he could infer, she didn't really seem to be too concerned with him anymore. He felt as he should be like the river, letting go and let everything float away. But his personality wasn't like that. He had fondness for everything. Pikachu, his friends, all the people he met along the way to get where he was, all the other pokemon he had or owned at one time in his life, and especially Misty. He knew how it felt to lose something dear to him, like all the times he had let his pokemon go. Such as Charizard, Butterfree, and many others. He didn't really mourn the loss he had. Sure, he felt a little empty and a part of him was lost. But he knew they would be okay and meet each other once again. But this felt somewhat different. This was an interaction was with a human, not a pokemon he once tended to. And it was the first girl he met on his journey. He touched his head and his hand felt the absence of the real hat that should have been on his head. He knew his old hat was in good hands. It felt as the only remaining explanation why he and Misty even came into contact anymore. He stood up, feeling as if he should go do something so he wouldn't be feeling this way— a deep sadness and fondness. He stood up slowly, Pikachu looking at up at him with great constancy, wondering what was on his master's mind. He walked off, wandering around aimlessly. It felt to be the best thing to do for now.

Back at Cerulean Gym, Misty was lying in bed, gently clutching her chest. She did not feel okay after all, as she thought she was previously. She slowly rolled out of bed like a panda and tried to make her way through her dark room. She tripped over the leg of a chair and stubbed her toe. She finally managed to find the doorknob and locked onto it. She could feel herself panting as if someone were about to kill her. "I never knew opening a door took so much effort," she thought.

Gary was about done for the night, almost already completely bored of doing research day after day. He clipped his papers on his clipboard and set it into a folder. He looked out the window, seeing it was almost dark. He closed the door as he glanced to the left and saw Misty limping outside her door. At first he thought she was being silly for fun but then he stared at her closer. She didn't look like she was in good health. He stared at her, work in hand. As the gist of what was going on zoomed up into his brain, he ran to her. He knew it was his fault. That hyper beam attack must have been the cause.

"Misty, are you okay?" he asked, running to her.

She didn't answer, breathed hard and knelt on the floor. She only looked up at him with emerald eyes. The eyes looked like they wanted to go seek professional help— and badly. He dropped his research folder on the floor and picked up Misty and onto his back, giving her a piggy back ride, but while being cautious at the same time as to not make her feel physically worse.

"Geez, you're heavy," he garbled, while heaving her up on his back. Not until after he said this comment, he realized it was not a good time to be making wise cracks at her.

"Shut up, I weigh perfectly. You're the one full of lard," Misty murmured seven seconds later, barely audible to the ear. Gary could hear her irregular breathing. It was cold outside and he couldn't grab a jacket since Misty was already almost knocked out, so he just got the nearest jacket and threw it on top of Misty. Gary blinked then smirked a moment after her comment, carrying her for the second time in one day, on their way to the hospital. He was only joking about her being heavy. He felt guilty, knowing that the hyper beam was ordered by him and hit her. He would feel even worse if she had to sit around the hospital in bandages or using medications. He also knew that he could be held liable for charges, but he didn't think Misty would do anything drastic like that. He managed to lock the gym behind him, although it was quite hard, having someone lying on his back. He was indebted to her, so he might as well break his back to be even with her. He walked out and looked around for any signs of a hospital. He didn't feel like carrying this girl so he called a taxi.

Ash was robotically walking around, as it was already decided that it was the best thing to do at the current moment of despair he was feeling for "losing" Misty. He sighed as fog resulted from his breath. Pikachu climbed up on top of his backpack and asked what was wrong.

"Oh, it's nothing, Pikachu. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

"No it does not have to do with Misty."

"Okay, fine I lied, yes it does. You always know everything about me."

Other pedestrians on the sidewalk walking around Ash who could not see Pikachu thought Ash was talking to himself, looking at him like he was weird as they walked by. Ash noticed the crazy looks and said,

"Hey! I'm not talking to myself! See, I've got a pokemon on my shoulder, you see?" he pointed out.

Just as Ash pointed out Pikachu, he saw Gary drop an unconscious Misty into a cab from a distance. His embarrassment of looking insane vanished as his attention was diverted to what he just saw. He was determined to find out what happened. He walked off into the general direction Misty and Gary left off into, becoming anxious.

Gary, who had never been in this kind of a situation before was beginning to show panic emotions on his face. He always looked calm on the battlefield, why couldn't he retain that mentality now? The drive to the hospital was unusually long, in Gary's perspective. The throbbing pain of hurting someone physically on accident never really occurred to him. He stared at Misty, who was just sleeping, but she still looked in pain. After an impatient six minutes, Gary picked up Misty and carried her to see the emergency paramedics. They took her in as he waited, just waiting for her. He felt like going home, but though staying to check up on her would be the courteous thing to do. He did after all, harm her.

He sat outside the room Misty was being checked, bored to death. "Man, I should have brought my papers," he thought to himself while remembering he was dumb enough to drop them on the floor back in the gym. He sidled with his thumbs; nothing to do at all. The door next to him opened and he stood up. The doctor walked up to him and said,

"Well, she's fine for now. She told me she has been hit by hyper beams before while doing intensive training with her pokemon, but being hit by those too much can cause you to become weaker and also in danger of radiation effects. She doesn't have to stay here too long but she does have to go on medication, and I'm not allowing her to do her daily work until the week is done."

"Thank you, Doctor," Gary said.

"You may come in now," the doctor said, showing Gary to the door.

Gary walked in silently, hoping not to wake her up. He really didn't know what he was doing; it was like his feet were moving on its own. He stood by her, staring at her lifelessly. She was still awake.

"I… I need you to take over the gym while I'm out… okay?" she said weakly, looking up at him with baggy, sore eyes.

Gary didn't want to do it, since he had his own work to do, but he had no choice. He just nodded simply and agreed.

"I'm sorry," he said, and walked out. He sighed as he slid the door behind him, looking at the cold floor. Then he looked up. It was Ash, right in his face.

"Just what did you do?" Ash asked, Pikachu on the defense on his shoulder.

Gary just didn't say anything and only used his facial expressions as speaking.

"Did you hurt her?"

"No," Gary said, frowning.

"Then what happened?"

"She got hurt."

"Look, I demand to know what happened."

"She got hit by a hyper beam."

"And just how did that happen?"

"I accidentally hit her. She's fine."

Ash leered at him, with Pikachu twitching to electrocute Gary for what he just did.

"Listen, if you hurt her, I will not forgive you."

"I just said she's fine. Didn't you hear me?"

"Why did you hit her?"

"We had a match."

"A match? With you? No way. You're way too arrogant to compete with. She doesn't even know you. Why did you challenge her?"

"We had an argument."

"Argument? Why would you two get into an argument?"

"My, you're certainly nosey. If you're so concerned, why don't you go check up on her?"

"Man, I knew you liked making me look bad but you don't have to go off and hurt my friends!"

"I didn't do it on purpose! How many times must I say that to get it through your fat head?" Gary was getting agitated and ready to sock him in the face.

Pikachu got mad at the kid who called its master a 'fat head' and electrocuted Gary.

"AHH!" Gary yelped. He twitched and looked deep-fried like how Team Rocket looked after being electrocuted constantly.

"What's going on?" someone said lightly.

Ash and Gary turned their heads to the left.

It was Misty, clutching the door handle, looking at the both at them fighting.

**End Chapter 7: Clash. Onto Chapter 8. **


	8. Chapter 8: Collide

**Chapter 8: Collide**

**Author's Notes: **Due to popular demand, I am reverting to the English names throughout this entire fan fiction. Hope you all enjoy.

"What's going on?" Misty weakly asked again.

Gary and Ash looked at her, stunned. Ash ran to her side, trying to help her stand up straight. "Are you okay Misty?" Ash asked, walking her back into the room. Misty nodded and walked back into her room. The two followed behind her, wrestling between who would get past the door frame first.

"I walked through first!" Ash said.

"Stop being a loser and let other people walk through first!" Gary shouted, shouldering against Ash. Ash wouldn't budge and still fought for who would enter first. Gary got tired of fighting with this old rival so he finally stepped back and said, "Okay fine Ash, ladies first," rolling his eyes with his hand leading the way.

"Finally you stupid—hey!" Ash said with an angry comical-looking expression, about to sock Gary.

Misty only chucked as she sat to lie down.

Gary walked up to her, with Ash warily next to him.

"The doctor said you can go home now, but you have to rest and take some medicine for awhile," Gary told her.

"You remembered what you agreed to, right?" she asked, looking up at the two boys with baggy, tired eyes.

"Yes, yes. No need to remind me," Gary replied, looking to the left with a frown.

Ash looked at both Misty and Gary with quizzical eyes, thinking, "What agreement?"

"Well, I might as well get up and go back to the gym, those trainers are waiting outside," Misty said, unenthused.

"Misty, you shouldn't stand up. You need to rest," Ash replied, putting his hand on her shoulder. Misty looked at his hand but stood up.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," she said placidly, walking to the bathroom to change into normal clothes. Gary's cell phone rang as he answered it, then hung up.

"Misty, what are you doing? You should stay here," Ash said.

"I don't like staying here, I'd rather rest at home," she said, walking out the door and past Ash. Gary followed behind her, carrying her jacket as she trailed off. Ash stared at the two like something didn't add up right. He frowned with Pikachu on his backpack, walking a few feet behind Gary.

The three waited outside while waiting for a taxi to come take them back to the gym. They looked like the new group trio who would start out on new pokemon adventures, except it was usually with Brock, May, and Max. Except Gary had never been in the picture before. No one would think he would be either. Each one looked at one another, uneasy with the situation. Ash was not used to having his rival next to one of his best friends, and he was beginning to get shifty about it. Misty knew there was going to be another "Ash versus Gary" war in her own gym, and she was apparently too tired to have to clean up after two young men who acted like four year olds in the presence of each other. She also felt somewhat more at ease with Gary with her instead of Ash since he had other things to tend to, like his new friends and pursuing his way-off dreams. Ash was one of her best friends, but after a constant curtain of solitude and being cut off from him, she didn't feel as connected to Ash. She wanted to talk to Ash like how she did before, but it didn't seem to work out the way she wanted it to. Misty became apprehensive when she tried to speak to Ash about the littlest thing. Gary on the other hand, didn't seem all that concerned. He just seemed bothered but at the same time was glad not to be alone constantly. But he still had two things to be anxious about. His grandfather told him at the last minute via his cell phone that his research finding would be submitted to a publishing agency to become a largely renowned book, so now he had to be absolutely perfect. More perfect than usual, as he perceived himself. And also, he had to become a temporary gym leader, take care of someone because he was obligated to, and plus his old rival "tagging" along. Misty sighed as she hobbled down to sit on a concrete cube. She was very cold. It was still winter and Gary only grabbed a skimpy sweater when he ran out with her to the hospital.

"You could have brought me a better jacket, Gary," Misty commented.

The two turned around.

"Well, I'm sorry your majesty. May I buy you another nice mink coat?" Gary said sarcastically at the girl who was not grateful for what he did, breaking his back to carry her plus manage a gym when he had other commitments to do. He forcefully took off his jacket and put it on Misty.

" Gary, shut up and stop being an ass. Misty, here," Ash said, as he took off his jacket that he wore all the time and put it around Misty. He whisked off Gary's jacket as if it were a biohazard and threw it back into Gary's arms.

Misty only blinked as Ash put his jacket on her. She was still shivering.

"Yeah Ash, like that paper-thin thing will keep her warm," Gary said, arms folded while keeping his eye the next cab that would appear along the road.

Ash clenched his arms and teeth together in a childish way towards Gary as Misty interrupted. She was too weak to break up this rivalry between the two.

"Now, now, Gary it's all right. I'm fine– uh, Ash when was the last time you washed this?" Misty asked, sniffing the collar of the jacket.

Ash turned red and tried to think of something to say that would go along with the situation. "What do you expect? I travel a lot."

"Doesn't your mother supply you with enough underwear?" Gary asked, as he remembered what his mother gave to Ash on their first days as official pokemon trainers.

"Hey, shut up!" Ash said, flaming hot from embarrassment.

Misty only smiled from the sidelines. This was like watching television. Gary leaned in towards Ash and made a sniffing gesture.

"Geez, you do smell. When was the last time you took a shower? The day we left Pallet?" Gary asked.

Misty was about to laugh and stand up to calm Ash down but he looked extremely agitated, about to burst from being pissed and most likely challenge Gary, then she'd have to wait in the cold longer.

"Hey look, a taxi!" she pointed out.

Their second dispute in one day was "resolved" as Ash opened the car door for Misty.

"Show off," Gary thought, as he walked into the front seat.

He didn't want to fight over who would enter in the back seat first again. His shoulders were still sore from the last shoulder fight. And he definitely didn't want to sit in the middle. That would be complete horror. Being sandwiched between two people. The taxi drove off into the night and stopped in front of Cerulean Gym. Misty walked up the steps, coughing to her room. Ash followed her and told her good night. Gary only stood outside, telling the trainers to leave and looked up at the sky. He had never been in a position to be a gym leader before. He wondered how he would conduct himself. He knew he couldn't be too harsh, or too mean. The majority of the challengers were all kids under thirteen. Far too young to understand anything. "Hopefully, this won't be so hard," he thought. It would be hard that the opposing trainers were all beginners and he'd beat them in a heartbeat, but he knew that writing up all that research took the whole day. How would he complete it now that he had a second job to do? "Great, now I have to manage my time," Gary thought, glaring at the night sky. He grabbed his folders off the floor that he left them on and walked home to his grandfather's home. Ash only looked at him leave, and then sat on the kitchen stool to watch over Misty, with Pikachu on his side. The earth did a full rotation and it was morning.

Gary was the first one up, slightly nervous about his first gym match. He walked in the gym, looking into the books Misty had about gym leadership, which did not ensure him any confidence on his future performance. He was afraid he was going to mess up. He rubbed his forehead and kept reading. Ash walked into the kitchen, minding his own business as he waited on the counter.

"Well?" Ash said, interrupting Gary's reading.

"Well what?" Gary said bluntly, not moving his eyes away from the book.

"Where's breakfast?"

"Well apparently the table doesn't have food on it, which means you should make it yourself, brainiac,"

"I'll get it, I'll get the lousy breakfast," someone said meekly from the hallways. It was Misty, in her night gown and bathrobe.

Gary was about to say something, but he closed his mouth and went back to reading. He didn't have time to pick a fight today, he needed all the confidence he could get. But none of the information seemed to sink in. He just read the text then it floated out of his brain.

"Ash, can you buy some groceries?" Misty said, looking in the refrigerator.

"Yeah, sure Mist. What is it you need?" Ash asked.

"For you lazy guys who seem to be 'allergic' to cooking, I wrote a shopping list. Take it and don't buy anything useless that I won't need. Like Pikachu shaped candies that change color every three seconds and make your tongue green or a stupid mock pager with gum in it," she said quickly, handing the list to Ash.

Ash and Pikachu left for the market right after washing up and getting dressed. A few seconds later, a trainer appeared. The kid was fairly young and looked like he just started his days as a trainer.

"Well, it looks like you have your first opponent for the day," Misty said with her hand on her chin with a look of "Haha-I-Get-To-Laugh-At-Your-Butt-Being-Kicked-For-The-First-Time-By-Some-Kid" expression on her face. Gary only stared at the kid, who looked anxious.

"What are you waiting for? The kid isn't going to beat himself and get a badge," Misty pointed out.

"Thank you, Miss Presumptuous," Gary muttered, getting annoyed as he put the book down on the counter and walked to the battle arena area. Gary suddenly remembered some rules. He walked up to Misty.

"Um, I forgot I have to absolutely use water pokemon since I'm the water gym leader, huh?" Gary asked quietly.

"That's right. I'll let you use my pokemon," Misty said, handing him her pokeballs with a triumphant smile.

"You seem to be enjoying this," Gary said, looking into her eyes.

"Why yes, I am. Oh yes, there are two types of battle-fields in this gym. There's the stadium pool and the iceberg pool. Pick your choice."

"I can't use your pokemon. They already hate me as it is for supposedly 'hurting' you when it was an accident. I'll choose on my own, thank you very much."

"Don't worry; they won't bite your head off. Unless I tell them to," Misty said, chuckling sounds made behind her words.

Gary only looked at her with cynical eyes. "Ha…ha," Gary said sardonically, snatching the pokeballs from Misty's hand. Gary walked back to his post and announced the rules.

"Kid, I only allow a three pokemon limit. No time limit either," Gary announced.

"I believe I said two pokemon limit the last time you watched my last match. And you call yourself observant," Misty wailed from the sidelines, watching Gary to not do any misconduct as a gym leader.

Gary's eyebrows began to twitch.

"You didn't even tell me what's in the pokeballs," Gary yelled back to Misty.

"Oh yeah, there's Gyarados, Dewgong, and Staryu," Misty said.

"I don't even know which one is which! Oh yeah, smart thinking Misty, say it out loud for the whole world to hear what pokemon I have," Gary yelled back to her again.

"God, you're so helpless," Misty said as she stood up and walked up to him to tell him which one was which, then walked back and wrapped herself with a blanket from her room, just watching Gary walk off, choosing the iceberg pool.

Gary picked Staryu to be fair to the kid, but a Magikarp came out. A look of embarrassment came from Gary's facial expression. He looked back to Misty, who kept a straight face, or at least was doing a good job acting of keeping a straight face.

"Crap, I'll have to cope with this floppy fish. Did she play a trick on me just to be funny?" Gary thought.

The trainer pulled out a Charmander.

"Geez, is this kid stupid?" Gary thought. But he also remembered not to underestimate any opponent, even a novice.

The battle started as Gary quickly tried to think of all of Magikarp's attacks. All he could think of was Swift Swim, which wasn't even an attack, Tackle, and Splash.

"Why couldn't you have been a Gyarados?" Gary whined in his head. "Hey Misty, how long have you trained this stupid fish?" he asked to Misty again.

Misty was shocked. He never really used her name properly in a sentence before without it containing some sort of insult. "Um, for a few weeks only."

"Few weeks, eh? Good enough," Gary said, looking back at the battle. He could tell the Charmander was no regular Charmander. It appeared to be smart as it was protecting its flamed tail while standing on the iceberg pool. Gary had already plotted it out in his head and the many possible outcomes of what to do and what would happen, basing it on the intelligence of the trainer that he could infer, seeing that he had a smart, well-trained Charmander to begin with. The heat of battle was escalating although it had not really started yet.

Someone stood behind Misty, while she sat down and watched closely. "Misty," someone familiar said quietly. "You didn't tell me Gary would be taking over the gym. So this is the agreement you guys were talking about back in the hospital"

Misty looked up and saw Ash's face right above hers. Their eyes locked together as she did not know what to say. She hoped no misunderstanding would arise.

**End Chapter 8: Collide. Onto Chapter 9. **


	9. Chapter 9: Impressions

**Chapter 9: Impressions **

Ash sat next to Misty as she welcomed him to sit as she didn't want Ash to feel left out, although she could tell he already did. She smiled at him, remembering she had actually missed him that much before Gary just so happened to appear at her gym.

"Your new suit really fits you, Misty," Ash said.

"Oh thanks, I thought it was about time I changed my clothes," Misty said, huddling in her blanket wrap.

"You know, you should wear a poncho if you're that cold. That blanket of yours drags around the floor," Ash pointed out.

"Ponchos make me look like a human lampshade. I'm fine, thanks."

"Heh, you're still 'funny' as usual," Ash said, staring ahead watching Gary battle.

Misty gave a little mocking play sneer at him, and watched Gary's performance.

Gary was getting nervous. He tried to think of some sort of plan to beat the blasted Charmander that looked like it well-trained and skilled. What was he to do with this fish that just splashed and splooshed all the time?

"Why couldn't this fish be a Seaking?" Gary droned in his head. "Man, if I lose Ash will laugh in my face. Then Misty will think I'm a bad gym leader. Hey, if I pretend to be a lousy gym leader, she'll get mad and make me step down. Then I can finish up that research! Hmm, but then that wouldn't be very nice. And she'd probably catch on too. And if I lost, I'd loose my endorsements from fans. Misty's not that stupid. Argh, but I have to get that book finished up. Why didn't I just stay trying to be a pokemon master? I was doing a really good job when I was. But no, I just had to be like grandpa. I didn't know being a professor required book writing. Why didn't grandpa tell me about this when I looked into this career path?" Gary was getting a little too deep into his thoughts as his hand was on his chin, thinking. By this time, the trainer was getting impatient. Gary cocked his head to the trainer and suddenly remembered, embarrassed, since his attention was diverted elsewhere when he had a battle to do.

"Oh right, let the battle begin!" Gary announced. Misty and Ash watched attentively behind him on the same bench.

"Fire spin!" the midget trainer said.

"Swim down deep," Gary said, still thinking of the perfect strategy to somehow get out of using a Magikarp and hopefully switch to a better pokemon. He knew it was not good of a trainer to constantly use only strong, vicious-looking pokemon but these weren't even his pokemon in the first place.

"Ugh, what attack can I use?" he thought. But then he gaped frozenly when the fire spin evaporated half the water in the pool, so Magikarp was swimming in a small circle at the bottom.

"That stupid Charmander was smart enough to not burn his iceberg platform," Gary thought as he stared at the battle arena. Gary suddenly had an idea. He hoped it would work. He didn't know if it would work or not, depending on how experienced this fish was.

"Magikarp, splash the ice berg platform as much as possible!" Gary said loudly.

The opponent was a lot smarter than the regular everyday novice, telling Charmander to counter the water with an ember attack, so the water quickly evaporated.

"Why must this little kid be smart?" Gary complained in his head some more. Then another idea popped into his head.

"Magikarp, swim in circles really fast!" Gary announced from his mouth really fast.

"What is he thinking?" Misty said. "That's no attack."

" Gary is a lot stronger than he seems," Ash said. "Remember that time he battled me with his Eevee a long time ago? I didn't think that little measly thing was even capable of beating Pikachu."

"You're right," Misty said, watching the battle.

Gary was glad to know that his three-second conjured idea of having Magikarp swim in circles actually paid off. The iceberg platform started to go around and around just like a merry-go-round, making Charmander very, very dizzy.

The trainer then yelled, "Fire Blast!" but Charmander was obviously too dizzy to even aim properly. Like a random spinning machine, he spewed the attack on Gary. Gary stood there, burnt to a crisp.

"Thanks a lot," he wheezed out, coughing. Now he looked funny.

"Sorry," the trainer said quietly, trying not to laugh.

Ash and Misty snickered behind him, as he really looked funny, like barbeque straight out of the broiler.

Gary frowned, but quickly said, "Splash, and aim for the tail!"

Magikarp listened and aimed for Charmander's lit tail. Magikarp leaped out of the pool, and missed, but made a shower of water all over Charmander's platform, making it hard for it to walk anywhere without slipping.

The trainer could barely see the water and commanded another ember attack. But Charmander spun out of control, after slipping off some water puddles on the ice platform. He was about to fall into the water but its trainer called him back into his pokeball just in time then called forfeit.

"Why do so many kids forfeit matches?" he thought, remembering the last challenger who also forfeited. The trainer thanked Gary for the match and left. Gary turned around and sighed with relief.

"You sure got out of that one," Ash said to Gary.

"I think you got lucky. Burnt lucky that is," Misty said, snickering into her blanket so that Gary wouldn't see her laughing.

"Har-de-har-har," Gary said, as he walked to the bathroom to wash up from the fire encounter he just had. He returned to the table to keep on doing his book research until another challenge came along. Misty walked up to him.

"Look, I didn't intentionally give you that Magikarp. I really didn't know, I thought it was my Staryu. I keep a lot of my pokeballs in my room and don't know every single one that's in each one," she said calmly, sitting next to him.

"You're a gym leader; you should know your own pokemon by now. You're not a little beginner trainer anymore you know. It's like with that dumb Psyduck of yours that pops out of its pokeball all the time for no reason," he said while writing at the same time.

"Hey, don't lecture me. And that whole Psyduck business was a long time ago. I'm sorry. Oh, and I only watched your first match just to see if you follow gym rules properly or else I would have had to correct you," she said.

"Can you please make a pokemon check before you flee to your room and supposedly give me the wrong pokemon?"

"Fine," Misty said, subdued. "This one is Staryu, seriously, this one is Dewgong, and this one is Starmi. I have another set available there, you have to rotate your set because my pokemon need to rest, you know."

"Okay, why don't you tell me which ones are in that set of three?"

"Why don't you go look yourself?"

"They're you're pokemon. They're not going to listen to me unless you tell them. I'm just carrying out the favor."

"Ugh, you are impossible," Misty said, coughing while she brought the set of pokeballs to Gary's table. "This one is Gyarados, this is Vaporeon, and this one is Tentacruel. I wouldn't use this set with the beginners though. Sixty percent of the trainers who come here are beginners. The other forty percent are most likely experienced or have been here before. I've already told all my pokemon to listen to you. Now I am going to my room. I feel drowsy."

"Would you like anything?" Gary asked, while writing with a pen, looking over his papers.

Misty turned around.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I asked, would you like anything to make your sick self more comfortable," Gary said back to her.

"No thanks," Misty said as she walked into the halls, surprised that Gary was being slightly courteous

Gary settled down in his chair as he stared at his work. It was three hundred papers bundled together in his face. He knew he'd face criticism on his book but that's all in the job of being well-known. He was used it, since he was often talked about when he had cheerleaders following him around. He remembered the time he got beat for the first time, that didn't feel so great. He didn't really want to do this, but in every career path, there's always one part that sucks. Like having to write a book as a requirement to become a professor in pokemon. It was appealing to him rather than capturing pokemon over and over, roaming around the world beating gym leaders. He felt like he hit a wall, where his life path felt tedious and he didn't want to do it anymore. But since he made it this far, he was going to stick to it and knew it would pay off eventually. So he stared at the jumble of papers once again. He felt positive that he would make it through to the top and be the best, as usual. So he stared at the paper booklet again. It was focused on the importance of water pokemon. Misty's lab really helped him out. Just then, he remembered when Ash and Misty were talking behind him, laughing like old friends. The thought bothered him a little bit, but he didn't mind as he had to go through his book another three thousand times to check for errors.

"I wish I was done already," he thought again.

The day passed like ribbons flowing through the wind or a person walking through fog. Gary got really tired staring at papers all day. Surprisingly not many trainers passed by, except for two, which Gary easily beat without breaking a sweat. He sat in the same chair all day, just looking at minor errors or mistakes he had made. He was almost done and maybe should have had Misty and Ash look at it.

"Nah…. Ash would be bored out of his mind if he read this… if he even got it," Gary thought. "Maybe I'll just have grandpa look at it," he thought again. He wanted to leave off and give his book compilation to his grandfather but he sadly had to stay for the rest of the day since he was the temporary gym leader. When it was finally nightfall, he ran out immediately out the door.

"He must have been bored," Misty thought, sitting on a stool watching Ash poorly make dinner for her.

Ash had three pots boiling on the stove, and he stood there simply scratching his head.

"You can't even follow a simple recipe out of the book," Misty said, shaking her head in dismay.

"I insist I cook for you!" Ash said, holding a ladle with delight.

"Yeah watch, then I get food poisoning," Misty muttered.

"Hey," Ash said, putting his hand on his hips. He went to the sink and flickered water at Misty.

"Hey, I'm not strong enough to fight back against your antics," she said smiling.

Misty and Ash settled back into their playful sentiment in the gym as Gary was sitting on a chair, letting his grandpa read through the entire book. Two days had passed and it was daybreak.

"Well, this looks pretty good to me. I'll let other colleagues look at it to see if they agree with your writings. Now, in terms of getting it published, it usually takes awhile but sometimes journalists like to make early announcements. I can't make any warnings about that, Gary. Other than that, great job! I am sure others will find the importance of water pokemon intriguing," Professor Oak concluded.

"Thanks, Gramps," Gary said, leaving with jacket in hand.

"I may ask you to come over from time to time to discuss this. You know you're very lucky to have me as your grandfather. People who strive for a profession like this usually go about it alone, not with the help I've been giving you. And plus attaining this sort of position in the Pokemon world is very complicated," Professor Oak stated.

"Yes. Thank you, grandpa," Gary said, lowering his head slightly. He walked off his grandfather's estate of roaming pokemon. He walked back to Cerulean Gym, just barely remembering that he had to be a gym leader for another two weeks and four days.

As he got back, he walked in, dropping his bags in the floor like they were heavy anvils.

"Look who's back," Ash grumbled with Pikachu on his back.

"Oh shut up. At least I was doing something productive and not wasteful," Gary said tiredly, noticing that Ash had attempted to make food. "So there are two bad cooks in the house."

Just as Gary finished his sentence, a woman walked in who was accompanied by a photographer. She had a notepad in her hand and was professionally dressed.

"Please don't tell me that's a stupid reporter," Gary prayed in his head.

"Why hello there, Mr. Oak. I'm from the newspaper and I'd like to write an article about you and your new book. Oh, I'd like a picture of you and the gym leader. You two seem very close and it seems the striving water gym leader has also helped you with your new book!" said the journalist, unnecessarily enthusiastic.

"What?" the three gasped.

**End Chapter 9: Impressions. Onto Chapter 10. **


	10. Chapter 10: Paper

**Chapter 10: Paper **

"Well, don't just stand there and gawk," the photographer said as he put in a roll of film into his camera. "Stand together! Oh you, sir, please stand aside."

Ash reluctantly moved two steps to the left. The scowl was blatantly obvious on his face as he watched. Misty set aside her blanket on a stool and stood next to Gary with a forced grin. After the camera flash, Ash blinked. The journalist asked a flood of simple predictable questions to Gary as he answered them in fragments and simple sentences. Misty's anxious eyeballs moved to Ash, who looked none too happy.

"This will look great in tomorrow's Entertainment section in the paper!" the journalist squealed.

"The paper!" Misty said horrifically. "I look like crap!" she thought, looking at her drab appearance.

"Gramps was right," Gary complained under his breath.

The scowl had not yet erased from Ash's face. In fact, it had grown.

"Well, if there is anything else to announce about your pre-successful book and your new profession, you'll see me again," the journalist said, smiling with irritating delight.

"By the way, Mr. Oak, you and the young lady look very nice together," the photographer commented for a second time as he walked out behind his colleague.

There was a strong silence for about five unsteady minutes as each one of them was trying to find something to say.

"Um… who wants dinner? I'll buy for all of you guys," Misty meekly uttered, hoping everyone's disposition would lighten up.

"Yeah sure, what kind?" Gary asked, picking up Misty's bacteria-filled blanket for her and handing it to her.

"Thank you," she coughed out. "How about Korean barbeque? We won't have to go out; I'll have it on take out."

The three agreed.

"Why isn't Ash speaking?" Misty thought as she picked up the telephone. She ordered and went to the kitchen to set the table. When pulled out a stack of plates, Ash silently took them from her then set the table himself. It was the first chore Misty had seen him do in a long time. She stared at him, feet firmly planted on the linoleum.

The answer was quite obvious why Ash was in morose. Misty wished she could make do to have the circumstances better for Ash, but there wasn't anything unless she kicked Gary out, which she obviously wouldn't do and Gary would oppose anyway.

The food arrived, Gary answered the door and paid the delivery boy with five percent tip. He brought it to the table. The table was made of glass and supported by black legs. The table also could seat six people. Ash strode along petulantly to a chair on the left. Gary walked briskly to the chair on the right, obviously displaying that he was starving. Misty slowly walked up and sat on the host chair, with blanket and all. She collected larger serving dishes from the cabinet, but Ash just swiped them from her arms and set them in the middle. He still had not said a word other than agreeing to which food to eat, which was an hour ago. Gary dumped the food into the dishes as he irritably waited for everyone to get to their seat.

The moment Misty sat down, Gary and Ash launched for a piece of meat. Gary ate ravenously while Ash ate properly. Misty raised her eyebrow at the two because it should have been the reverse. While Ash was eating slower than usual, he wasn't watching what he was doing. His mindset was fixated elsewhere. Just then, his right elbow knocked into a bottle of ketchup. Gary immediately attempted to reached out and catch the bottle before it hit the ground; Misty did the same thing simultaneously. Their hands both converged; Gary's hand over Misty's. Misty looked up in Gary's direction, staring into his eyes. She stood there frozen as she heard a crash, but she didn't even twitch when the bottle made a huge noise on the floor. She even forgot that she was still under the weather. The three all looked at each other with perturbed eyes, especially Ash. Gary instantly withdrew his hand back to his lap. Misty's hand felt the cold absence of the warmth of Gary's hand. She slowly put her hand on her napkin. Gary poked his food with a fork while Pikachu merrily ran over with to consume his ultimate favorite condiment of all time.

Ash immediately sprang to the floor to clean up the broken glass so that he wouldn't have to stare at Misty. He had already presumed what he had thought in the first place, it out although most likely Misty did not know it or was denying it.

Misty's affection was directed to the new pokemon professor, Gary Oak. No longer would Ash feel Misty ever yelling, smiling, smacking, or any other type of interface with her. It was gone. What was left was hesitant communication. He had a feeling that would be the case when he first walked in the gym, seeing Misty and Gary together alone. At that point Ash felt a new emotion, and it definitely was not happiness. In fact it was jealousy. His immature self was now envious of an old rival. As he placed the shattered glass in the trash can carefully, he walked back as he saw Misty and Gary eating quietly. He wanted to say something to Misty, but he couldn't bring himself to. Instead he excused himself to the bathroom.

Evidently he had no use of what was in the bathroom, but instead he just sat there on the floor. Wallowing in his own loss. He sat on the carpet, remembering when Misty preferred staying with him than Rudy on the Orange Islands. In fact, his escapades with her were practically innumerable in naming every single thing. He didn't think he'd let Misty slip through his fingers. But he did. He could hear Pikachu hobbling to the door. He opened the door and kneeled down for Pikachu to hop on behind his head. He sighed as he wanted to yell out to let everyone of his frustrations but just walked back to the kitchen. He saw the duo clearing the table.

"Are you finished eating?" Misty asked indifferently as she handed a plate to Gary's arms full of stacked dishes.

Ash just stared and nodded. He saw the two, perceiving what he saw. A candid couple that was not together. He saw the two as mirrored opposites. They both could be described as counterparts. Misty had the fiery attitude while Gary's arrogance shielded the fieriness and weld an intelligent cynical point of view. The two personalities fused to be a perfect picture. A sad smile sprouted from Ash's lips. He didn't know how he felt at all. There was no welcoming ambiance for him. Only bewilderment. He sat there while he was surrounded in a haze. The objects all around him spiraled into a blur and enfolded him.

Three minutes later…

Misty woke up Ash as she nudged him on the shoulder. He was on the floor.

"Are you sick?" Misty asked, looking down upon him, with Gary on the mere corner of his eye. He was standing up, only looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Ash opened his eye slowly. Maybe Misty liking Gary was a dream. No, he just woke up. Maybe he was thinking too much of the situation. He didn't know. He just sat up halfheartedly, looking at his gloves.

"Hey Misty, I'll be back in the morning. By the way, I paid for the delivery boy, you owe me some money," Gary muttered while he grabbed his overcoat on the rack along with his stack of documents and left.

Misty rolled her eyes and smiled, only staring at the back of Gary's rough exterior. Ash watched her eyes with careful thought.

"Maybe you'd better rest," Misty said as she led Ash to one of the vacant rooms. She pulled out blankets for Ash. Ash sat on a desk chair as he looked around. It looked like it was just a storage room for Misty's various items that she didn't know what to do with or just didn't have the time to put away. He looked to the wall on the left and saw a glass picture frame. When his eyes met the picture, his smile stopped sagging of misery.

It was an old picture of him and Misty alone. It was taken by a photographer and they were posing in traditional Japanese clothing. He remembered that time. He was only ten and it was the festival after Brock and James had gone crazy staring at a stone figure. She looked very attractive that time. He couldn't remember who took it though.

"She still cares. All that worry for nothing," he thought. His spirits were lifted. Since Ash currently had amplified feelings for Misty, he had a hard time falling asleep, and when he did, he kept waking up in intervals of three hours. It was finally five in the morning as Ash no longer felt like attempting to make himself sleep. He got up as he saw Misty sleeping in her room. The door was open as it was just asking to be walked through. She did not close her door for some reason. Ash stepped in quietly as he just gazed at her. Misty's hair was on her face. He slowly brushed them away from her eyes. She was still sleeping soundly, but she was still sick. He wondered if she missed doing gym work. Ash clenched his fist. He knew he shouldn't be in his friend's room without permission first.

He walked out to the front of the gym and went to fetch the newspaper. It was still a winter wonderland outside as he was freezing. He walked back in and sat in the kitchen. He started to read as Gary's article made the front page of the Entertainment section. Misty looked magnificent to his eyes albeit she said she looked like crap. He stared long and hard at the picture. There was Misty, her orange hair down and to her shoulders with her emerald eyes beaming. She was wearing casual clothes, which were more fitted than her appearance before. She had a yellow sleeveless turtleneck accompanied with black slacks. She stood next to Gary, barely three inches apart. Gary looked very affluent wearing a silver tie and a black collar shirt with black pants, with a carbon copy of his book in his arm. He had a smirk similar to his younger days as an in-training pokemon master. Ash's eyes kept trying to replace Gary's head with his own although when he did, his head didn't mach Gary's body proportions, thus looking deformed.

"His stupid hair spikes get in the way," Ash thought as he read further into the section. The article section was typical but as he read further into the article, his frown became on display again. There was one quote that bothered him most, which was:

"Cerulean gym leader Misty Waterflower may have a developing relationship with promising Professor Gary Oak as she has aided him to write his book; while Prof. Oak is often found at Cerulean Gym."

Ash made a final decision. Maybe it was best to leave Misty and move on. He did have May, Max, and Brock after all. He had tried. He asked her to join back with him, he watched her and took care of her, but she didn't seem to notice or have any concern. For the first time, Ash was really giving up. Just as Ash finished his thoughts, the door swung open.

It was Gary, striding in like he owned the gym.

"What are you doing here?" Ash inquired frigidly.

"If your puny head remembers, I am the temporary gym leader, Ashy," Gary said, putting his tie on for the day. If any more ridiculous paparazzi were going to bother him, he at least had to look presentable. His grandfather called him about that a few nights ago.

Ash began another parade of scowls. He hated it when Gary called him "Ash-boy" or any other sort of variation.

"Hey the paper!" Gary said as he immediately grabbed the paper from the kitchen table to look at how his article came out. "Not too bad," he commented as finished fixing his tie. "… what's this about relationships? Stupid media," Gary garbled.

"I'd like to ask the same thing," Ash mumbled as he kneeled down to let Pikachu sit atop his head.

"You know how the journalists are. Sensationalizing everything completely. Half these questions they added in more words to make me sound less interesting. I did put in quite a nice commentary even if I didn't answer that much."

Ash wanted to tell Gary to shut his trap. He did not think Gary was _that_ great. Right at that point, another surprise walked through the door. It was Brock, May, and Max.

"Ash, where have you been? You can't be lolli-gagging here all day you know. We've got to get back to Hoenn. We're not even half-way there. We have to take a boat from here and get back," May pointed out, her hands on her hips.

"Don't you think I know that?" Ash said, giving May a look.

"Well, she is right Ash," Brock replied. "Unless if you want to quit now being a progressing pokemon master."

Right after that sentence Brock ran out the door as a young lady was walking outside. He did his request process then was rejected. He walked back in glumly.

"She rejected me," he said, about to cry.

"Don't worry Brock, you'll find more girls to reject you," Max said comfortingly. May laughed as she walked up to Ash.

"So, is it time to go?" she asked him.

"No, not yet," Ash said as he tried to think of a half-baked reason to stay for one more night. "…uh, we should go back to the Hoenn Region tomorrow, it's afternoon already and we wouldn't want to get lost in the woods at night."

May was about to smack him on the head. "Stop being so lazy! We are so behind schedule because of you!" she shrieked.

Gary only stood, watching the four quarrel about whether or not to leave. He wished they would vanish so he could do his work in peace.

"So that's the girl Misty was upset about," Gary thought.

Misty could hear from her room that there were more than just Gary and Ash in her gym. She got up from bed and saw May, Brock, some scrawny glasses-kid of whom she had no idea who he was, and Ash arguing next to the fish tank. She peered from her door and just watched.

Gary was getting bored of the "Brady bunch" arguing in his temporary gym, but yet another stranger appeared at the door. He walked around the arguing four, and to the mysterious figure at the gym's large door.

"You're from the Elite Four, aren't you?" Gary asked, immediately recognizing the woman's face close up.

"Why yes I am, young Professor Oak. I'm Lorelei, the water master, here to talk with the gym leader," she said.

"Oh, well she's resting right now," Gary said.

"I can wait," she said with glaring eyes as she sat at the nearest chair.

"Who's that person?" Ash asked.

"One of the Elite Four members. She wants to speak with Misty," Gary said as he opened up his shoulder bag and took out a stack of papers to do.

"The Elite Four! Oh my god! I want to challenge her to a battle!"

Gary conked Ash on the head.

"She's part of the Elite Four. She's way too busy to deal with a numb nut like you. You'd lose to her in a second plus she is not here accept challenges from annoying novices" Gary said while writing on a piece of paper at the same time.

Ash got really angry now.

"Hey why'd you hit him?" May asked, walking in front of Ash.

While May was about to pick a fight with Gary, Misty finally thought it was time to show herself. She definitely did not want to show her face to Ash's new female companion, but she had no choice. She dressed up into fresh clothes and out of her night clothes. Since May was standing outside, she felt a bit intimidated and pulled out sophisticated clothes from the closet.. She pulled out a v-neck turquoise shirt and fitted dark jeans. She brushed her hair then finally appeared outside.

"Ah, yes, the young Misty Waterflower, Cerulean gym leader, I presume?" the lady asked.

"Yes, I am, but who are you?" she questioned.

"I'm Lorelei from the Elite Four; I'm here to discuss personal business with you."

Seeing that there were too many people, she showed Lorelei to the outer part of the gym. Gary only watched Misty walk away, with his neck turned from where he was sitting. Ash took notice of Gary's facial expression. The outer part of the gym turned out to be a water cascade fountain courtyard. The water fountains were surrounded by shrubs and flower beds. They flowed in a continuous tranquil stream with some containing water pokemon,

"So what is it you need to discuss with me?" Misty asked, as she picked up a container of food to throw into the fountain.

"We looked at the paper this morning, and if you have other concerns to attend to, we would appreciate it if you would resign your position as a gym leader," she stated bluntly. "If there is an existing relationship, we would prefer gym leaders who are determined and not easily distracted or already married."

Misty did not reply as she could not think of any way how Gary would be interwoven with what she was just being told.

"WHAT!" was the only word she could say.

**End Chapter 10: Paper. Onto Chapter 11. **


	11. Chapter 11: Books

**Chapter 11: Books**

**Special Thanks:**_ Maia's Pen_, who takes the time to beta-read for me despite her hectic schedule. She is a great Egoshipping writer, so check them out!

Misty was still gaping at Lorelei.

"What!" she whispered ferociously, blinking severely with a piercing gaze to the grass beneath her.

"Look, Misty, I'm sorry to alarm you, but regulations must not be broken. The Elite Four ensures that," Lorelei simply stated while looking into the shiny water. "If you can clarify all this mess, then you'll get to keep your position," She shoved a book into Misty's hands.

"Go over this and let it be a reminder," Lorelei said softly. "I'm not a mean person but we have to strictly enforce rules."

Misty stared at the book. It was entitled, "Gym Leadership Standards." Misty held the three inch book in one hand. As soon as she saw Lorelei away from the gym, she threw the book into the water. She watched it create a splash and create ripples. The waves did not bring her calmness. Her chest felt heavy and she wanted to scream. Instead she only walked back indoors.

"Well, what did she want?" Gary asked without thinking.

Misty only look intently at him and his book on the table.

"Nothing. It's nothing," she heaved. "Gary, you still remember your agreement, now do your duty." She walked off to her room and slammed the door.

"What's eating her?" Gary thought.

Gary carried on the remaining matches of the day. Misty had nothing to do but sulk in her room. She felt better but at the same time, she did not. She pulled some books out of the bookshelf. Some of them were young adult romance novels. She threw them aside.

"Geez, so tacky. I hope I don't appear in this manner to Gary," she thought. "Wait, Gary? Why would I care how I appeared to Gary? Like he'd care about my appearance. Obviously he's too preoccupied with himself. I was just a tool for him to be successful. Not like I matter that much to him."

Gary's grandfather made yet another eventful phone call to tell him that there was an upcoming book signing and he should bring Misty along. It was like he wanted Misty to appear with Gary in all media photos.

"Yes, grandfather. I know there's a book signing in a few days. The people who helped me write the book have to attend with me? Oh, all right. I'll see you at the bookstore at six o'clock. Bye." Gary closed his cell phone harder than usual.

"Misty's been acting up; I wonder what Lorelei could have said to her. Then again, Misty is completely unpredictable so I shouldn't ask her until tomorrow," Gary reflected as he walked around. He reached the back door. It was the outside courtyard fountain. It was late afternoon and the orange pastels outlined the sky. The water sloshing together made tranquil scenery to make any nervous wreck feel much more at peace.

"This part of the gym is certainly nice. Maybe I should hold matches here instead. But then her royal highness would probably yell at me for ruining her back garden anyway," Gary thought once again to himself. His eyes were directed to a triangle-shape poking out of the water to his right. He pulled it out. It turned out to be a Gym Leader manual. That could only mean one thing. Well, only one thing according to Gary. The Elite Four never gives out manuals except to starter gym leaders and the ones out of line. They were putting her on probation and she had to look over regulations again to make sure she wouldn't make mistakes again. The events could only pertain to one thing. He pulled the morning newspaper out of his back pocket.

"Of course! This is why…" Gary's delight of finding out things by himself hammered down into a meticulous frown. He sat down on the edge of the fountain and contemplated as his brow became sweaty. How could I have contributed to Misty's situation? He knew Misty liked her job although she acted like she was sick of it from time to time. He remember the camera flash from a few days ago.

"Damn muckrakers," he thought. He crumpled the newspaper. After a few moments he uncrumpled it because he liked the way he looked with Misty. Misty looked as if she took a long amount of time to prepare for an outfit fit for picture taking, although she obviously did not. Her choice of clothing accentuated her curves that were usually hidden by her fiery tomboy exterior. Gary smirked at his appearance, knowing that he looked very decent for the occasion. He ripped out the picture around the article and stuffed it in his pocket. After that he discarded the article full of exaggerated lies. They were not technically lies to him. Half of him wished they were true, such as the comment:

"Water gym leader Misty Waterflower may have a developing relationship with promising Professor Gary Oak as she has aided him to write his book, while Prof. Oak is often found at Cerulean Gym."

Gary sighed as he looked up at the stars barely forming into the night sky. He blinked twice.

"Why would I wish for this rubbish to be true?" he thought angrily. "The only real part was that she gave me a lab and that's it. What the heck am I thinking?" He gave out a frustrated sigh and walked back inside.

Ash and May were still doing a showcase of bickering. One was about who was lazier and the next one was about who was the more responsible trainer. Brock made some hearty soup in the kitchen and served it to everyone, including Gary, who was not one bit hungry. The Hoenn group sat at the table with Gary. While Brock and Max tended to feeding his pokemon the proper diet, May and Ash were still at it and eating at the same time. Gary looked up from his writing.

"Shut up! Geez you two act like four year olds!" Gary went back to his writing.

Ash gazed at him with a want to thwack him in the jaw. May looked frazzled because she did not know Gary very well, and thought he had some sort of weird emotional outburst. Ash had nothing to say other than a language of scowls. He got up from his chair and knocked on Misty's door.

"It's open," she said.

Ash came in as he noticed the paper on her desk. It was turned to the same page of Misty and Gary. He was beginning to get annoyed having to see that picture over and over.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Oh I'm fine."

"You don't look like it."

"Thanks for your concern, but I'm really okay. Ash, I appreciate your staying here but it looks like you have to go. Brock and May are waiting for you. Your destiny isn't going to wait for you, Ash."

"If my being here bothers you that much, I'll go."

"It's not that, it's just that May and Brock seem to want to carry on their goals. I'm sure you do too."

"Well, sometimes dreams get boring and have to be broken sometimes."

A chill went through Misty's spine. She looked right through Ash if he were not there. She thought the exact same thing in the beginning when she went to the mountains in hopes of finding Ash and only came out disappointed. Was the same thing happening to Ash also? She had always had a soft spot for Ash but it toughened up. She had wanted to go back. She couldn't figure out how anymore.

Ash got up and strolled back outside. He could not think of anything else to say and he could tell his presence was bothering her. Misty hadn't replied back to what he said. Making a conversation with this girl was now impossible.

Misty was still moody since she was told off for behavior that was not of her own doing. She wanted to be mad at Gary but could not find any feelings whatsoever to feel in that manner. He wasn't at fault either. She sat on her desk chair and looked at the picture again. For some reason, the more she stared, the more she liked it. She thought she looked atrocious but Gary looked splendid to her eyes.

"Great, not only am I misunderstood, I have to look crummy while Gary looks fabulous," she grumbled in her head. "Look at my shabby old turtle neck and those wrinkled slacks." It brought a smile to her face. She frowned again at the repulsive thought. A knocking sound was heard from her door.

"What is it?" she asked as she stuffed the paper into her desk drawer and ran into her sheets to make it look like she was sick.

"It's me, Gary," he announced as he opened to door.

"I know you're not in the best of moods but there's more things I have to tell you."

Misty lightened up. "What is it?" she asked.

"Well, I have a book signing, so my grandpa told me I need all the people who helped me write the book to come. I'd like to know if you could come."

"Of course I'll go," Misty replied happily without any thought.

"Wait a minute. I didn't even think about this. What am I saying?" Misty thought.

"About those dumb reporters, I'll make sure they don't make anymore crap that will harm you in any way."

Misty didn't say anything. She only looked at Gary with a discerning eye. "I don't recall telling you about what the Elite Four told me," she thought.

"Well anyway, it's in two days at six, so just get ready before then. If you're still feeling sick, I'll understand." Gary got up and left her room, closing the doorknob carefully. Before he left, he noticed a small stub sticking out her desk drawer. He already knew what it was and smirked as he left.

Misty was feeling fine. Although the doctor did tell her to wait one week, barely two days passed by and she did not feel sore anymore. She opened her closet.

"I haven't a thing to wear," she thought, holding up a blouse.

She was tired of thinking and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Gary was still writing vigorously on paper while Brock and Max cleaned up the kitchen. Ash was outside in the cold, sitting on a concrete slab looking up at the sky with Pikachu roaming on the outer bushes. May looked at him. She didn't know him as long as Misty, but she could tell something was wrong. Ash would not waste his time staring at the huge sky. The two started talking as their breath created mist and moisture from the cold air.

"Ash, you don't have to tell me but I would like it if you felt better. What is wrong? You don't want to continue our journey, we come back almost near your hometown, you're awfully quiet and you're so irritable. We're not even at all near Hoenn. This is a good area for exploration of pokemon too. And you don't seem the slightest interested!" May said, crouching next to him.

Ash gave a faint smile. He decided to tell her. At least May seemed to care unlike the previous actions from Misty, which were all apathetic.

"Once again, I've lost to Gary. But I want to be a stronger person. So I'll move on and fail now. Then I'll be stronger later."

"That sounds like something Misty would say."

Ash grinned. "Yes, in fact, it does sound like something Misty would say."

"Ash, I just want you to know that Brock and I are always here to talk with you. Heck, even Max."

Ash didn't answer or look at her. Only his broad back faced May. May hesitated as she set aside her outlandish mindset.

"I like you. I really sincerely like you."

Ash only stood up and sauntered to her, looking at her face. There was a hint of beet color on his cheeks.

"May, I'm flattered, but I… I… haven't got anything to say back to you."

May only stood there looking at anything else but Ash's face. Ash knew May was very uncomfortable with what she just said, so he took the initiative to utter with a squeaky voice, "Let's go. Brock's waiting for us inside."

As daybreak came, Brock made an enormous breakfast for everyone. Eggs, ham, pancakes, and juice was afloat on the table. The morning refreshed everyone as all were a bit happier and conversing with each other. The table sat six people as Ash and May sat on the left and Gary and Misty sat on the right. Max and Brock had to sit on opposite ends. They came up with common chit chat and seemed to get along well. It was not a common picture to any of them. Max did not seem to notice or mind. They had fun spending time with each other. By the time of the book signing day, Ash's case of frowns came back.

While Gary carried out Misty's wishes and being bored in the gym at the same time, Misty slipped out of the gym and went to nearest clothing retailer she could find. She needed some formal attire. She did not want to be juxtaposed in any picture looking untidy and slovenly with rich-looking Gary. She finally found one after running around two blocks.

"Ma'am, I'm in a hurry, I'd like you to pull out some outfits that would be proper for formal occasions," Misty said to the nearest idle clerk the moment she walked in.

The clerk listened as she went into the stock room and pulled out several dresses and hung them on the dressing room door. Misty sat inside the fitting room as she did not like any of the dresses the clerk picked out. One was red and had two high slits on the side.

"Gah, gross, I look like an over baked burrito" she thought, throwing it aside.

She picked up the second outfit, which was a tweed business suit. She looked like someone who literally went though the dry cleaners.

"Ick. Next."

The next outfit was a dark cyan dress. It was a ballroom gown. She didn't want to draw too much attention but she was running out of time. She fished out the price tag first.

"One hundred eighty nine dollars for this! Is this even worth it? I know if I get this stupid piece of overpriced fabric, I'll stuff it in the closet and then never wear it. And when I do, I'll have gained some weight then it won't fit me anymore. What a waste. Should I purchase this?"

Misty tried it on anyhow. The straps, carefully embroidered with beads of a turquoise shade, ran from her neck and hugged her stomach and the rest of the dress flowed until the fabric just barely touched the ground. She noticed her neck was bare, so she had to waste more money on jewelry. "Great, I have no shoes for this contraption dress." So now Misty had to buy shoes also. The dress came with a shawl so she'd be able to cover her arms.

"Well, at least I don't look that bad now," she thought as she looked in the mirror.

She called the clerk again to wrap it as she went to look for some unneeded accessories that she didn't want but would feel uncomfortable without. She looked around the store. It was four thirty as she scurried around the store and grabbed black heels that fit her feet and a cheap-looking crystal cascade necklace hanging on the rack. It turned out to cost fifty dollars. Misty groaned. She had saved money anyway but she was frugal. She ran to the cashier and spent a grand total of two hundred seventy dollars. She felt so awful when she had to say good-bye to her cash.

She walked back to the gym to get ready. Ash and May didn't see her as they were training outside with Brock and Max so that they wouldn't bother Gary inside with other trainers. She ran into her room. Gary eyed the large bag she had. Since his eyes roamed elsewhere, he lost one pokemon.

"Aw, crap," he thought and pulled out another.

By five o' clock, Gary dismissed all the trainers and told them to come back the next day as they all whimpered like little children as usual.

Gary walked briskly to his room to get ready. He did not have much time.

"Misty better not be taking too long," he thought. He knew girls always took five hours just to put on a dress.

He opened his gym duffel bag and pulled out another suit. Gary was not happy having to carry clothes around him but it was part of the job description. Although his grandfather did wear a lab coat most of the time, he himself had to look presentable at times. This time he pulled out a grey jacket and trousers with a blue collar shirt. There was no tie this time. He was glad since he took forever to figure out the tie last time. He did his routine of freshening up and put his suit on and his shoes, then walked outside.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ash asked in a cheerful tone as he ate dinner with May, Brock, and Max.

"Oh, I've got a book signing tonight. You guys are welcome to come if you like. I apologize for not telling you guys sooner. I was busy with those trainers," he said as he grabbed his paperwork off the counter.

"Hey that's great Gary," Ash said as he resumed his conversation with the gang at the table and chomped down on his food like his normal glutinous self. The rest talked and laughed.

Misty stared at herself in the mirror. She threw off the shawl and looked again. She grabbed a pea coat from the closet and hesitated to open the door. She only remembered she did not tell anyone she was going anywhere.

Gary walked to Misty's room and knocked on the door lightly. "Misty are you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah I am," she said as she opened the door only one-fourth the way.

Ash put his eating utensils down. "Misty's going?" he thought. He stopped eating as his hunger vanished. May noticed that he was not eating and that there was still food on his plate.

Misty was scared to open the door for everyone to see her look from a tomboy to a transformed fairy princess.

"Misty I'm sure you look fine, it's already five forty. We'll be late."

" Gary, can you go without me? I'm pretty sure you'll be okay without me there."

"Are you still sick? I saw you go outside and buy things. You must be feeling well by now if you can run around and about outside in the cold snow."

"Well, yeah I am, I'm fine," Misty replied timidly behind her door.

Gary was getting very cross having waiting for stubborn Misty to appear from behind her door. He could see her arm dangling through the doorway.

"Misty, I can't see you, but I am sure you look grand. I'll even bet on it."

"You seriously would? Okay, how about three hundred dollars, if you want to make the bet official," Misty said; now she would have Gary pay for her dress.

Gary frowned. "I was just kidding! Now come out!" he said. Misty did not listen as she stood frozen, still hiding behind the entrance to her bedroom.

"Ugh, dang it Misty, you're taking way too long. I guess I'm going to have to drag you there," Gary said as he grabbed her free hand. The moment he pulled out Misty, he only could gawk while his hand was on her arm. She most certainly did not look like her old self. In fact, she looked beautiful in his eyes. He was speechless and was not able to find any correct words to say to her.

Either was Ash.

**End Chapter 11: Books. Onto Chapter 12. **


	12. Chapter 12: Split

**Chapter 12: Split**

Gary tried to get a hold of himself. "She's just a girl who helped me. I haven't known this girl very long and she doesn't matter much. She's just a tool who helped me write that damned book." He looked downward and noticed his hand still on her arm. He instantly let go. His eyes were pasted back to Misty's head. Her hair was a flow of orange straight hair. She looked like she had spent time straightening it. He was used to just seeing a mop of muddled hair and a ponytail on the side of her head. Her hair reached like a curtain around her head. She had not put on any make up except for a smidge of lip gloss. He looked at her dress, which looked spectacular, according to Gary. The straps enveloped her neck and her figure complimented her dress. The superfluous ribbons ran from her hips, almost touching the ground. She held a small black purse in her hand. Her necklace sparkled in his eyes. The two stood in the hallway in front of Misty's room, under a light on the ceiling. Ash could see them from afar; they looked like they were on a spotlight. To Ash, she looked like a newly transformed princess. He couldn't believe his eyes. He gawked the same exact way when he saw her in a kimono at the time of their new traveling years.

"Um, so can we go now?" Misty whispered so inaudibly that even Gary could not hear her although he was two feet in front of her. She was looking at the floor. She knew everyone was gaping at her like she shouldn't be wearing a dress.

Gary did not respond.

"Gary!" she whispered again vigorously. She didn't want to have people's eyes glued to her.

"What? Oh sorry, what did you say?"

"Are we leaving yet? If we're not, I'm changing back into regular clothes."

"NO! Uh, I mean, let's just go," as Gary took her by the arm out the door. Misty followed, straining behind as if she were being forced to go. The two rushed out as if they were late for a formal event. Ash and company could not help but stare.

"Where is she going?" May asked.

"I suppose she's going to that book signing," Brock replied.

There was a pause.

"She looked really…." May stammered.

"Dazzling," Ash completed the sentence for May.

May and Brock looked at each other. May was more concerned for Ash than Brock was. Brock always got rejected by every girl he saw so it was not bringing any major concern for him that Ash obviously liked Misty and she didn't notice him. Ash got up and walked to his room that Misty was letting him use. He looked at the picture again of him and Misty from many years ago and lied down flat on the carpet floor. May followed him. She looked at Ash, who was flat as a sheet.

"Ash…" she said, kneeling next to him.

"I know, I know, May. I should get over it and stop wasting my time. I know you want to go back and get your ribbons for coordinating. I want to go back and be a pokèmon master. I just can't let this go, May. I can't," he mumbled in a reminiscent voice, looking at the ceiling.

May put her hand on his. Ash did not take in her sympathy. He just moved his hand away from her, to himself.

"I know Ash, I know," she said as she stood up. She looked up with an aggravated, bewildered look. She walked out and went to sit on the table.

Meanwhile, Misty was riding in the same car as Gary. He did not bother to be a gentleman and open the door for her and she caught her ribbons in the door.

"Thank you for being so utterly polite," Misty mangled in a dry voice, opening the door to throw in the parts of her dress that were stuck in it.

"Why you're very welcome," Gary said mockingly, giving her an infamous smirk.

Misty gave him a play smack on the arm. She giggled. Misty looked at Gary. She could no longer recognize herself. She was once the tomboy who hated peppers and bugs. She looked at herself in the side view mirror. She felt like she destroyed herself. She remembered herself as the girl in shorts and suspenders who dragged people by the ear, got mad at every opportunity, and screamed at the unpleasantness. Instead she saw a girl who looked like she was going to the school prom. Her hair was down instead of in a pony tail. She liked and dreaded the way she looked. She enjoyed looking like a crystal in the crowd for everyone to see but felt she left her old self behind. She also was aware of Ash. Although she did not have any feelings for him anymore as before, she wished he would feel better and be able to move on. But since he kept lingering in the gym, it was obvious he was not. Misty sighed as she watched the lamp posts come and go.

Gary was also wondering to himself. He noticed Misty did not look at all cheerful or even bother to complain about going. He felt bad about having to drag Misty along but he wasn't about to disobey his grandfather. His grandfather thought very highly of him. He noticed that normally Misty would be complaining about having to be shown in public with Gary and whine that he was an annoying jerk. Instead she just sat there quietly, looking out the window with no comments whatsoever. He also felt like an intruder. He did smack Misty upside the head with a snowball. And he did merrily skip into Misty's gym and demanded that he do his research there without even properly asking. And then he hit her with a hyper beam during a bet match, of all things. He felt some remorse for his actions but when he looked at Misty, his spirits were lifted. He didn't have to worry if she accompanied him. The Cerulean Gym had become like his second home. He couldn't imagine going anywhere else without Misty. Then finally, he admitted it to himself. He liked Misty. He opened and closed his eyes rapidly for a bit. His driving speed went down.

"Is something wrong?" Misty asked, noticing the huge drop in speed. Gary had gone down from eighty to thirty five. By that time, many people in their cars were honking at him and yelling obscenities.

Gary looked at her slowly. "…Oh, no. Nothing's… wrong." He stepped on the gas.

In ten minutes flat, they arrived at the bookstore. This time Gary rushed around the car to open to door for her. Misty was shocked.

"Wow, your arrogant head remembered," Misty said with dismay.

Gary looked at his watch. It was ten minutes past six. "Oh crud," he muttered as he grabbed Misty by the hand into the bookstore. The moment they reached the entrance, a flash of lights were attacking them. It was the cameras, taking several pictures of them. Gary looked at Misty.

"Grab my hand tight," Gary whispered ferociously to her.

"What?" Misty said.

"Just listen to me."

"Why? Your hand is filled with germs."

"Like yours isn't. C'mon."

Misty did not listen, but Gary snatched her hand anyway. They zoomed through until they reached the door of the bookstore. Gary pushed many photographers out of the way. His book fan club was on the side of the door. They booed and hissed when they caught a glimpse of Misty.

"Shut up!" Gary quickly told them with livid eyes.

The fan club gasped with hands clasped on their mouths from shock that their idol just told them to shut up. Misty looked at the back of his auburn hair with astonished eyes. They finally reached the door. Gary reached the handle like it was the finish line of a race. Both he and Misty fell onto the floor, panting after entering and tightly shutting the door.

"Well Gary, you made it," said an old, astute voice.

"Yeah Gramps, I did."

"I see you've brought a friend."

"Well I just listened to what you said. Bring people who have helped me with my book."

"And only one person helped you?"

"Pretty much," he said, standing up. He offered to help Misty up, whose dress looked like a powder puff on the ground.

"I can get up myself, thanks," Misty said as she stood up and bent down to get her purse. She looked up and saw a sea of people.

She grabbed Gary's arm. "You didn't tell me there would be this many people!" she whispered like a yell into his ear.

"Just relax, Misty. It'll be fine. Just stay with me at all times."

Misty was beginning to get frustrated. At least Gary could have told her that there would be a mass of people so she could prepare herself. The only good thing was she did not look like a sick dog. Gary sat down and motioned Misty to follow. She sat next to him. They were on a table with stacks of books and sharpie pens. Gary wrote his name most likely one thousand times. Misty just sat there, trying to look poised and proper. No one asked her any questions; they all just crowded and demanded two words to be written down by Gary. She felt like a human ornament.

Just then, a reporter managed to bust in and cut the long line of people wanting their newly purchased books signed.

"Gary, is it true that the young Cerulean Gym leader here is your significant other?"

"I have a name you know, and it's not 'young Cerulean Gym leader'," Misty gnarled in her thoughts, eyeing the reporter.

Gary did not hurry to respond to the question as he finished signing his name slowly and handed it back to the person politely. He looked up and did not answer. Misty looked at him.

"Gary, say no, damn it!" Misty yelled in her head.

"Can I have the next one in line, please?" he asked as he motioned the next person in line to give him a book to sign, totally ignoring the reporter like he was non-existent. Misty sighed as she picked up one of the books. Come to think of it, she hadn't read but only a few pages. She opened the first two pages. After that, there was a dedication. It was to his grandfather and sister. She was hoping it would say her name. She turned the page again. This time, it read, "Special Thanks to Misty of Cerulean Gym. Without her, the book would not be possible."

At that point, she felt touched. She turned to Gary and wanted to hug him. Instead she just whispered,

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"What?" Gary said.

"Nothing," she said as she set the book down in the stack. After long several hours, the crowd finally died down. Gary gave a small speech giving his thanks for everyone's support. He would now be known as Professor Gary Oak. Unfortunately the press was still lounging around, just waiting to bother Gary and Misty. It was around midnight when he was finally done. He threw the sharpie pen down on the table.

"Let's go," Gary said.

"Finally," Misty grumbled.

"Wait,"

"What?"

"You're going to have to take my hand again."

"Why? I can take care of myself, thanks."

"Misty, I'd love to not have to touch your disgusting hand but I might lose you in the crowd. One last thing, I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand about all these people. I didn't know you wouldn't be prepared for it."

Misty was all set to spill her emotions at this point.

"Well, obviously I'm not like you, okay? You've had a fan club following you since you were eleven! You're used to having people look at you knowing they either like you or hate you. I've only had that sort of attention from two or three people. And what is with you and not telling people things? Do you think it's funny that I just experience everything on the spot and look like an idiot? Or is it do you think I'm so much lower than you since you're a 'professor' now while I'm a lowly gym leader?" Misty was about ready to cry.

"Misty, don't cry like a freakin' kid. I'm sorry. I really am. I was going to tell you but then you ran out today to buy that nice dress you're wearing. And no, I do not think any less of you just because I'm a professor. What is it with you and all these accusations and assumptions? I may have put on an egotistical front when you traveled with Ash, but I thought you'd be smart enough to figure out I've matured since then. Why do you think I dumped the fan club after the Kanto tournament?"

Misty gave another deep sigh. "Do you really think I'm going to believe that?"

"Well I hope you are because it's the truth."

Misty had nothing to say. "What do you want from me?" She was fed up being jammed between two guys. She was not sure if both of them liked her or not. She did somewhat get what she wanted, no more monotony in her gym. But this wasn't what she expected.

Gary only looked into her sapphire eyes. He couldn't tell her. He had his pride before he would utter the words, "I like you" to someone. He could not do anything other than to give her an embrace.

"All right Misty, this is my formal apology. I am very sorry I did not tell you there would be a load of people to gape at you like an animal in the zoo."

Then he let go and walked towards the door. Misty was still and frozen. No one had lavished this kind of attention on her. Not even Ash or Rudy.

"Let's go. Even if we sneak out, we would have to face the stupid press no matter what we do." This time Gary took her hand without asking. Misty had no objection.

It was the same. Hold each other's hand and push a reporter here, ignore the mocking fan club. They finally made it into the car and jammed themselves in and drove off before anyone had time to get near and ask questions. They were completely silent just as before driving back. It was one in the morning and it was very foggy. Misty opened the door but Gary told her to wait.

"Misty, this will be the last time I'll be here in Cerulean Gym," he said.

Misty slammed the door back shut. "What? Why?"

"I know how important it is to you to be a gym leader. Being a gym leader is no easy task nor is it easy to get. You seem well enough now to take it from here."

"Um, yeah brainiac. And of all things, you forgot our agreement! You even promised me."

"Ugh, okay okay fine you twit."

"What did you call me?"

"A twit. Look it up. Hey, we did just come from the bookstore. Why don't I take you back there now and I'll buy a dictionary for you!"

Misty was appalled with this man, no not even a man. A big fat kid. She only got out and slammed the door. She did not realize she forgot her purse in his car. She had a fight with someone who was not either her parents, sisters, or even a boyfriend. She ran inside and slammed the door. Gary only stared then drove off.

"Feh, silly girl."

Then he pressed on the brakes. He began to regret provoking Misty. He felt there was no use crying over spilt milk so he drove back to his grandfather's place.

Misty got home and threw her keys on the table. Her heels made sounds throughout the quiet, dark gym. The moon was seen through the windows and made a reflection onto the battle pool.

"You're home late," a girl said from the darkness.

"What?" Misty replied to the voice, confused. She would have expected to hear a male voice but not a female one.

It was May, appearing from the shadows. The least she would have expected from anyone. She seemed like a nice girl, so Misty did not prejudge her based on the fact that she was journeying with Ash.

"Misty, I'm not here to make a scene, just to inform. I just want to tell you that Ash is hurting a lot."

Misty had nothing to say to her. She walked off to her room.

"Are you just going to ignore me? What kind of friend are you to Ash?"

Misty got even more annoyed and turned around to May's face. "May, I'm not trying to hurt anyone," was the only thing she could think of that would not make the conversation any worse.

"Honestly, Misty. I've seen him mope around this gym endlessly about you. I may be younger than him but I understand him and I want to understand him more. He's told me great things about you. I would have expected more from a gym leader than to waiver between two people. Especially one of his friends"

Misty was getting really upset. She already suffered the faces of judgmental people she had no idea of who they were. Now she was being lectured by someone a few years younger than her. She would be glad if she could push May into the pool and go to bed. She tried her best to think of May in a positive perspective. May was one of Ash's friends. Ash's friends were Misty's friends.

"May, I'm glad you're looking out for Ash's best interest. I sincerely do not intend any harm to anyone. If you're really interested, why don't you ask him then?"

"He wouldn't, because he's so taken with you!" she said in a vulgar voice, with a tear dropping to the cold floor.

Misty stared at the snow falling outside. She felt icy, just like the outside of her gym. She was breathing hard and tried to make out the situation. This was how she mapped it out:

Gary had grown some sort of weird liking to her, Ash also liked her. She seemed to like spending more time with Gary than Ash, because it felt very uncomfortable just sitting with him and trying to stir and exchange words. However, she knew Gary was way out of her league. She was only a gym leader of one of many cities while Gary was a well-known professor of pokèmon and the grandson of the famous Professor Oak. Even Tracey squealed with joy at the mention of "Professor Oak." She didn't know what she was doing anymore. She felt pieces of herself were scattered all over the floor and she had to mentally pick them up and put them together again to find herself. She remembered mentioning to herself that her life was redundant in the gym. Instead she made crazy land in her gym. And now a crazy girl was standing in front of her.

"I miss Gary," she slipped in her mind, completely losing herself.

"Are you just going to stand silently there hoping I'll just run off to bed?" May said. "Look at yourself! I don't know what Ash was talking about when he told me about you. He told me you were a courteous girl that loses her temper that he traveled with for a long time. He said you were very caring about water pokèmon and a great trainer. I don't see any of it! Instead I see you hurting his feelings. I have not seen you train once. You just lounge in your room and make men do the work for you. Are you lazy or something?"

"May, please stop. I would like to explain the situation to you but—"

"But what?"

"It's not really your business."

"Well if that's the case, then all right. I'm off to bed. I hope you don't hurt other people's feelings in the future like you did to Ash."

May ran to her room with Brock and Ash and slammed the door.

This is the scenario Misty wish she had said and had gone into fruition:

"May, let's sit down. To settle this. I do not wish to think badly of you. Ash says you are a great person yourself. May, I ran into Ash in the mountains as you saw. I suppose he realized he missed me or something of that variation and came back here. At the same time, Gary, the grandson of Professor Oak, wanted to use the Cerulean Gym lab for his own uses. I let him, so it created a situation since Gary and Ash are old rivals. Ash met you long after the two of them settled their brawl of who would be a pokèmon master. Gary decided to be a professor and they haven't seen each other since. Until now."

Unfortunately, Misty was way too vexed to think of a thing to say. She was just thinking of this situation that she had wished happened, standing still on the floor. May opened the door again with a toothbrush in hand.

"Misty, I do not want to think poorly of you, but this situation just bothers me a lot. There's one thing I want to know," she said from the hallway.

"What is it?"

"Do you like that guy?"

"May, I'm not at liberty to discuss that."

"If you do or don't, then say so. It's a yes or no question. It's not too hard. If you were a coordinator like me, you'd get kicked out so fast just because you couldn't answer a yes-no question."

May was definitely not making a good impression on Misty's people list. But she definitely saw something. A reincarnation of herself. May was just as fiery headed as herself. No wonder she felt replaced when she first saw May in the mountains.

**End Chapter 12: Split. Onto Chapter 13. **


	13. Chapter 13: Depart

**Chapter 13: Depart**

Misty closed her door quietly behind her. She was about to throw her purse onto the nightstand or whatever was the nearest piece of furniture. Apparently it was not in her hand. She looked all around her and ran out. Her heels clicked on the floor. Her small purse was nowhere to be found. She slammed open the gym doors to see if she dropped it in the snow.

"Oh no. I left it in _his_ car," she said with disgust while standing outside in the falling snow.

It was beginning to get very cold as she was not wearing a jacket. She shook her head and walked back inside. She wiped the excess snow out of her hair and walked slowly back to her room. She crashed into her bed to think of the hectic day. She could not help but think of May as stupid. She bothered to stay with Gary even if it meant having to be gawked at constantly and stand having a coveted position by many girls. She never would have thought she would be able to stand with Gary Oak; the unforgettable supercilious, pompous, intelligent jerk she was becoming fond of. She knew there would be yet another article in the paper. She was already dreading it.

"If this brings so much stress, why do I insist on going along with him anyway? All I wanted was to have the gym lighten up a bit. I just did the same thing everyday. Beat one trainer after another, eat, and sleep. Going to the mountains just made my life worse. Actually I wouldn't be so sure on that. I do not regret meeting Gary in this way. I was introduced to him before and I used him to taunt Ash but I never thought I would want to be with him… ever."

She already knew she had grown caring towards the pokemon professor. She had her own temperament. Her proud self couldn't permit it anyway. There would be too many consequences. One, the Elite Four would pay her a visit and come with a replacement gym leader. Two, her sisters would kill her for letting the gym go. Three, the press was already scaring her as it is. Four, she had to deal with Ash and his friends, one of them of which was a little hostile towards her, the other affectionate, the other a friend but not interested, and the last one, a kid who didn't care. She didn't blame May though. Ash did have his boyish charms towards girls. Misty found herself as a victim of that once, now May was experiencing Ash's immature spell. Lastly, Gary was out of her league and he'd probably laugh in her face if she bothered to tell him. To Misty, Gary deserved probably a trophy wife that was perfect in every way. Misty was nothing like that. She saw herself as scrawny and Ash and Brock never really acknowledged her for her physical appearance.

She put her dress in the closet and put on her night clothes. She stared at herself in the mirror with her straight hair and primped face. She looked more like her sisters. Feminine, or attempting to be feminine. She yanked out the hairclips that kept her bangs out of her eyes. She was also worried because she had forgotten many important things in the jerk's car. Her cellular phone and wallet. It was a long night and she decided to sleep.

The next day, Ash and company ate breakfast early. There were no portions left for Misty when she woke up at eleven o'clock. Ash still insisted on staying at the gym when Brock and May told him it was time to leave. She walked blearily and poured herself a cup of coffee. She went back and changed into casual clothes. A pair of shorts and a yellow shirt. She knew Gary was not coming.

"Stupid bastard can't keep his promise," she thought as she opened the door and let the first trainer in.

She was not at all enthused to do her job again. Every single one until noon, each young trainer was beat easily by Misty. Misty barely said three syllables. She just stood there. The fourteenth trainer finally beat her. She handed him a Cascade badge, but when she got a closer look, he resembled a young duplicate of Gary. Brown hair and full of spikes. Except he had a snub nose and was obnoxiously short. There was a pack of fans waiting for him outside. Misty smiled. It was the thought that brightened her day. She took a break and made herself lunch. She looked inside to see what was in the refrigerator. There was frozen pre-made pork cutlet. Ash probably bought it for her when she asked him to go to the market for her when she was still feeling weak. She heated it up on the stove.

"Do you even know how to cook?" a familiar comforting voice Misty heard. She instantly turned around, hoping to see Gary. Her eyes instantly lightened up. She looked and saw nothing but the refrigerator and pantry.

"I've finally become delusional and am hearing voices," Misty declared to herself as she finished heating up the stove and cooked for herself. This time no one asked for food nor was there anything to bring to anyone. She just sat at the table by herself. She saw Ash and company on the side terrace, training their pokemon and having a fun time. Ash and May were laughing because Pikachu had electrocuted Ash on accident, and he looked hilarious as he was burnt to a crisp and his hair was frayed to each degree. Brock and Max were discussing several aspects of pokemon, mainly which nutrients are best for specific types of pokemon. Misty sighed as she knew if she approached them, she'd just create a silence and ruin the mood for them.

"Ash, why can't I talk to you anymore," she mumbled to herself as she stuffed rice into her mouth.

Gary was also bored out of his life like Misty. Since he barely started his job, his grandpa was showing him the ropes. Gary wanted to fall asleep after doing one data table chart of just one set of pokemon. He had done them when he studied in school and liked doing them, but doing them with grandpa was like taking a sleeping pill. Gary had on a grey collar shirt with black trousers. He had a lab coat on and a clipboard on hand. He followed his grandpa around the lab and did analysis with him. He pulled out a recognizable object out of one of his lab pockets. It was Misty's small black purse from the night before. He would not look inside it as it was not his belongings. He just had to remember to give it back. He knew he was breaking his promise but he had to go to work anyway. He already figured out that Misty was just faking being ill anyway and she could manage the battles by herself. He immediately stuffed the small purse back into his pocket before his grandfather could see and ask embarrassing questions about it. Misty was right about him not telling people anything, which was why he was a master at hiding his loneliness. At work, especially when he approached the water tanks, he thought of Misty but would not give in to the thought of liking her in an affectionate way.

A voice interrupted Misty's thoughts.

"Hey Misty, we're off to the Pokemon Center and have checkups for our pokemon. We'll be back soon," Brock said to her in a friendly tone. The four left the door with a despondent Ash, a jealous May, a lovey-dovey Brock who saw a girl who looked pretty to him, and an apathetic kid. Misty was now alone in the gym. All she could hear was the sloshing water filter from the battle pool. She looked in the freshwater pool and saw that her pokemon were tired. She stroked them and went through the door to stand outside. It was still winter and very cold out. She held her hands in her pocket.

Back at Professor Oak's laboratory, Gary cleaned and put away lab equipment.

"Well, gramps, I'm off," Gary said, hanging his lab coat.

" Gary, hold on!" the Professor said.

"What is it?"

"Your career won't start off if you just stay here with me for the whole time. You do have to form your own laboratory in some town, you know. Writing the book was just the start. I already occupy for Pallet town. You have to find your own. By the way, the Kanto regions are all full. It looks like you're going to have to move."

"What?"

"Well you can't just push one professor out one town, now can you? There are plenty of towns in need of their own professor. You have to look for it yourself though, Gary. But for now, you'll be under my training. You have all the knowledge you need. Not to mention all the classes you took at the University. You can't just rampantly run a lab the way you feel like it. So for the next few weeks, you'll work with me."

"But how am I supposed to find my own laboratory, Gramps?"

"Well now Gary, I think it's time you find out things by yourself."

"All right gramps, later," Gary said as he shut the door behind him. He was a little worried that if he went to return Misty's purse, he would be walking into a time bomb. But he had no use for a purse.

"Might as well go," he thought as he took of his lab coat and slung it from his shoulders. He walked to his car and threw the coat in the backseat and drove to Cerulean Gym. He reached the doors and was for some reason nervous. He slowly took his purse out and walked in through the door quietly, passing the line of trainers.

"Well if it isn't the great Professor Oak," one of the small girl trainers said. "Can I have your autograph!" she squealed, with a huge gelatinous Jigglypuff in her arms.

Gary only opened the door and took no notice of the girl.

He looked around and saw no sign of Misty. He looked around and saw Misty on the outside of her gym, standing on the patio, looking into space. She was behind a two-doorway. He opened it and stood behind her. She didn't say anything. The wind passed through the both of them, their hair both moving to the left.

"I brought you something," Gary said with a nervous twitch.

"What is it?" replied Misty in a kind tone.

He felt that Misty would not bite his head off and he walked up next to her, leaning on the railing. He pulled out an item from his pocket.

"Your purse. You forgot it in my car last night," he mumbled quietly.

Misty retrieved her purse lightly and smoothly.

"You didn't come in today," she said, looking straight ahead to the sky.

"I had to do training with gramps," Gary said with no embellishments.

"Gee, I wonder how you keep friends. You can't even keep a promise."

"Oh come off it Misty, you look fine and well today anyhow. What do you need me for? It looks like you tended to your flock of trainers today anyway so why are you bothering me about not coming today?"

"You could have at least called. Well I guess you're too self-centered to call me. So it's okay. I don't mind. Go do your own business."

"Misty, I'm really sorry and I apologize."

Misty looked at his face. "If I can recall, you've been telling me that same exact thing since the moment you hit me on the head with a snowball when I met you in the mountains."

"Well, what do you want me to say? 'Hello Misty, I'm not sorry for anything'?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Why don't you say that to me?"

"What are you picking a fight with me about? It's not like I'm making fun of your muddled hair or your tomboy actions. I've been helping you around the gym. The one that you don't seem to enjoy doing."

Misty's eyes instantly turned with rage. "Don't make fun of the way I look," she snapped with a twitch on her temple. "Good bye, Professor Gary Oak. I hope you have a successful life." She spun around quickly. The rubber sole of her tennis shoes slipped on the ice forming on the ground from the ongoing cold winter days.

"EEEK!" Misty yelped as she fell backwards. She squinted her eyes tightly, but to her surprise, she did not crash to the ground. Both Misty and Gary blinked dynamically as Gary held her with his arms from behind, preventing her from hitting the bottom. She panted as Gary held her for another ten seconds. She slowly stood up and coughed out,

"Thank you for breaking my fall," she said, "I really should put some salt on the ground," she said with an embarrassed smile.

"You're welcome," Gary replied, with his hand behind his head. He felt a sensation of happiness surge through his veins for holding the red-headed girl.

"I'm sorry about my reaction about not coming in today. I guess I'm just tired or something. I mean, it is just one day you didn't come."

"It's all right, I suppose. I just have to get used to the fact that you get mad at everything."

Misty smiled. She didn't feel the need to create another argument. His presence was good enough.

"Misty, there's something else you need to know, which will also answer why I didn't show up today."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to have to move to another town for my job. I have to find my own lab and all. I'll come in tomorrow and keep up to my word. It would be good anyway if I weren't here. The Elite Four will leave you alone. Well then Misty, I'll see you later." Gary quickly left through the door without looking at Misty. He was about to turn the handle of the gym doors.

"Wait!" Misty yelped from where she was standing. She had not moved.

"What?"

"You-y-you can't just leave me!"

"You're not my girlfriend. I can leave whenever I please." With that being said, Gary left. He sat in his car knowing that was not the best choice of words to say to Misty.

Misty was left in the gym. She was fed up. She couldn't fathom her feelings anymore. She stood from the same exact spot, the wind blowing through her hair. She wanted to just leave completely. The door opened again. She hoped it was Gary. It was Ash and the group. Brock went immediately to cook dinner. May and Max sat at the table as Ash walked up to Misty. He stared at her and recognized her sulking expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Misty didn't open her mouth.

"Is it Gary?"

Misty still kept her lips shut.

"I just saw him leave. You can call him again. Did you have a fight with him?"

Misty looked at him with hesitant feelings. She didn't want to tell Ash. It might be problematic.

"He's leaving," Misty muddled in a soft voice, leaving to her room. She didn't want to stay in her room as she ran to the lab. Gary cleaned up before leaving so she didn't need to clean up after him, thus left with nothing to do. Ash watched her walk off as he could tell she was trying not to shed tears. He ran out the gym door.

"Ash, where are you going?" May asked.

"I'll be back in a little while," Ash shouted back through the falling snow with Pikachu running behind him.

Ash looked around as he puffed out mist from his warm breath. It was snowing gently as he looked for a way of transportation. He was in Cerulean City and Pallet was miles away. He was outside a store as a man walked to his truck full of packages in the trunk.

"Excuse me sir, where are you headed to?" Ash asked desperately to the man.

"I'm off to Viridian Town. What's the problem?"

"I have to get back home."

"You look like a trainer. Trainers always freeload off others. Get lost."

Ash looked down and ran elsewhere to find a ride. He saw the police station right across the street.

"Hey Officer Jenny," Ash said warmly.

"Kid, I can't talk. I have to go another police station. Business related." Officer Jenny said as she grabbed several provisions, even hand cuffs.

"Where are you off to?"

" Pallet Town, kid. I'm busy."

"I live there. Can you take me there?"

"Well, it's on the way. All right kid."

The two ran into the car and drove off.

"Um, my name's Ash. I just have to deliver an important message."

Officer Jenny did not answer back. She simply dropped him off at the edge of town without another word.

"She must have been busy, huh Pikachu," Ash said as he gave a food pellet to Pikachu. He ran off to the laboratory. He rang the doorbell several times.

"Well Ash, it's quite late," Professor Oak said.

"I-I-need to…" Ash panted.

"You need to what?"

"Talk Gary!"

Professor Oak raised an eyebrow and gave him a bottle of water. He plopped down on the living room couch as Gary entered.

"It's quite late. What do you want?" Gary muttered.

"Why are you leaving Misty?" Ash gasped with water spraying out of his mouth.

Gary's eyes changed facial expression. "I have to go. It's not like I'm doing it deliberately. She's not my girlfriend so what does it matter if I go or not. I thought you'd be happy to see me leave. After all I do know you want her back."

"Shut up! Just go to her and take care of her! Are you blind? She likes you!"

Gary glanced at him.

"You can have her. I lost to you. I hate losing to you. You've taunted me the day we started off as trainers. First you get more badges than me. Then you're a more successful trainer. And now you're a professor. What do I have? Nothing. I'm still a trainer until now. We've been through so much and now—now I've got nothing."

"You've got that other girl with you, May. Oh, and by saying 'have,' it's more like you're speaking of her like she's currency. How disrespectful."

"That doesn't matter! What matters are Misty's feelings. The whole day I see her unhappy or something like that. She just sulks all day around the gym."

"You know Ash; I wish my life was as crystal clear as yours. Unfortunately it's not. I can't just do what I want anymore like when I was a trainer. I'm a professor."

"And that's supposed to just let you leave her by herself? Stop being such a stubborn ass!"

Gary only looked down as he held his glass of ice water.

"You're still the same. Even though you said you changed. Do you really care for her? I guess not. Later, Gary." Ash left with Pikachu trailing after him. Ash was frowning as his best friend, Misty, had fallen for someone who didn't even care about her. "Why can't she like someone who cares about her?" he thought. He went off into the late afternoon night to hitch another ride.

Gary sighed as he went to his room. He was beginning to get mad. Usually small minor things such as Ash didn't bother him. This time it did. He slammed the glass down on his desk as it shattered to pieces all over his scattered papers.

"Oh shit!" Gary yelled as he grabbed his papers and waved them through the air to let the water drip off. Now the ink was leaking all over.

"Crap crap crap," he muttered as he patted down the paper as to not smudge his paperwork even more. He set them by the window and put a paperweight so they would dry. After that, he got a small broom to sweep off all the broken pieces of glass. As he held the trash can by the desk, he pushed the broom a little too hard as one of the shards brushed against his hand.

"Augh! Man!" he screamed even more as he clutched his hand. He ran to the bathroom and put a band-aid over the wound.

"You're awfully clumsy tonight, Gary," Professor Oak said behind him.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Gary said, looking at his grandfather via the mirror. He walked back to his room.

"I hear you have problems with a girl?"

"It's nothing, gramps. Ash likes to talk babble."

"I wasn't eavesdropping Gary. Ash does talk a little loud."

"Yes, yes I know. It's not a big deal. He's just mad because some girl doesn't like him and blames it on me."

"Well, you're old enough to take care of your own problems. I'll leave you alone. Good night, Gary. I have a lot of Tauros to attend to in the morning."

"All right, Gramps. Night."

Gary was getting more pissed by the minute. He sat on his cushioned desk chair. He went to work on his data books set up on the computer but couldn't type.

"Wow. I actually get myself reprimanded by Ash. What's this world coming to? Misty and I both clearly know why. Elite Four won't allow it. I'm a professor. She's a gym leader. Both of different prestige. Not of anything having to do with stature, it's just, I'm not very confident about this. Of course we're both stubborn. That's why we won't talk to each other much or bother the topic. We both have enough problems as it is," he reflected, touching his wound.

He pulled the desk drawer out and took out a familiar item from his younger days. It was his yin-yang necklace. He took it out, threw it into the air and caught it. He knew exactly what to do with it and smirked.

**End Chapter 13: Depart. Onto Chapter 14. **


	14. Chapter 14: Fade Away

**Chapter 14: Fade Away**

Misty was in her room, tapping her desk with a pencil. She tapped it so hard into the desk, it broke in half. She looked at the bent pencil and threw it behind her. She was now annoyed.

_"You're not my girlfriend. I can leave whenever I please." _

Misty was getting angrier each time that sentence repeated in her head. She stomped out of her room and ran outside. The Hoenn group was eating dinner and stared at her as she stormed out the door. Only Ash looked concerned. Brock did too but he did not want to intervene with Misty, in fear of being dragged by the ear.

"Oh look at her with her temper tantrum," May muttered, stirring her potatoes around with a fork.

Ash threw her a dirty look.

"May, don't worry about it. We're just waiting until Ash snaps out of it and finally realizes he's wasting his time. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. In this case, that doesn't apply to Misty," Brock mused.

"Oh shush up," Ash muttered as he put his napkin on his plate and followed Misty. Pikachu trailed after him.

Brock and May continued their conversation.

"May, I can tell you like Ash."

May didn't answer and kept stirring around her potatoes on her plate. The potatoes transformed into mashed potatoes. She grabbed the gravy then poured it into her food. She was unaware that she had made a volcano out of the mashed potatoes.

"We go way back. He's real stubborn. When he wants something, he won't ever let go until he gets whatever it is he wants. He was the most pitiful trainer I had ever seen when I met him. He was about your age then, probably a bit younger. You know, being a gym leader is no easy task. I was once one myself."

"You were?"

"Yeah, at Pewter Gym. It's a big responsibility. Elite Four is always on your neck watching your every move and it's even harder if you've got siblings to watch when you've already got pokemon to tend to and train. Being a gym leader is a pretty thankless job. Only once in awhile do they come and thank us. What Misty is going through is the exact same I did before. Everyone always demands you for a badge only and we're perceived to be scary or mean. I was lucky Ash encountered my father or else I wouldn't have been here with you guys."

May only listened.

"Ash and Misty have a long history when they were younger. People change though. And it's quite obvious who's changed. She's still a good person, don't get me wrong. She's one of the strongest girls I've ever met. Even if she's changed, I still respect her."

"But she doesn't even notice Ash anymore! Why can't she just tell him to save Ash the trouble?"

"Not everyone is like you, May."

"It's funny. You seem to know a lot about relationships yet you can't even get a girl yourself," May laughed as she stood up to put plates in the sink.

Brock turned beet red. "You be quiet," he mocked in a joking manner. The two got up and cleared up the table.

Meanwhile, Ash approached Misty. Misty was lost in her own little world. She squatted right above the snow.

"Look Misty,"

"Ash, don't say anything. I'm sorry for all the trouble I cause. Just go back to the Hoenn region and resume what you were doing. You're wasting your time staying here with me. Nothing will happen for you here," she said while pushing bits of snow around with a twig. It reminded her all too well of Gary.

"Misty, I know who you like. I know it's a difficult time and you seem pretty embarrassed about it. Look. I'm pretty sure by now even though I'm an idiot, you know why I'm here."

"Yes," Misty said gently, her head still facing the snow.

"I like you a lot. I don't know if you've noticed or not, but it's the reason I've been here for awhile."

"No duh, stupid," Misty thought. She bit her lip while rubbing her hands together. It was very cold as the wind was billowing throughout.

"Misty, I know that I can't have you anymore. So I'll be here with you so you don't feel hurt," Ash said gently as he put his hand on her shoulder. His hand did nothing for Misty. She only looked the other way, facing the road. She hoped Gary would appear. But he didn't. The two sat in the cold stairwell together, both thinking that was not of each other.

"Damn Elite Four," Misty muttered to herself.

"What?" Ash asked in response with his face near Misty.

"Nothing."

"Tell me."

"No Ash, really it's nothing."

"Misty, stop keeping secrets from me," Ash said teasingly as he poked Misty on her sides with his hands. She began to laugh as she was ticklish and fell right off the snow-covered stairwell and into the snow below. The two were laughing as they were both lying on the snow together. Ash stood up and formed a poorly-made snowball and threw it at the back of Misty's head. Suddenly the snowball acted as catalyst to Misty. It reminded her once again of the mountains. The snowball exploded against her head and splashed on her hair. Misty only thought of that time when she met Gary for the first time, saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought your mass of orange hair was a pokemon." Misty slowly stood up, completely ignoring the fact that Ash was right next to her. She looked at the road again.

"When are you coming, Gary," she thought, looking hopeful. She turned to Ash and snapped.

"Ash! Don't do that again! You know that feels like glass against the skin! God you are so immature!" she said as she stormed up back the stairs into the gym and into her room. She took out a book from the shelf to distract herself.

"Geez, what's the matter with her? Man, I can never talk to her!" Ash thought as he walked back up.

"What's her problem?" May asked as Ash came in, closing the door to seal out the cold air.

"Nothing, May. Let's just go outside and train our pokemon."

"You know, if we weren't here, we'd get the full benefit of training, not just in this small measly gym."

"Yeah, Ash. I agree with May on that one," Brock said, following the two outside. They grabbed their thick parkas off the coat rack and went to the outer gym to train their pokemon for full winter modes to be able to adjust to the cold temperatures.

At the moment, a few miles away and not too far from Cerulean Gym was Gary, walking back to his car, which was not parked in front of Misty's gym. He looked angry, but more of disappointed like the time he was defeated by Giovanni. In fact, he was pissed about what he saw. He was about to approach the gym but watched from afar when he saw Misty and Ash in the snow. "I suppose she was just being friendly," he thought. "She did comply with what I needed. A lab and for her to appear at my book signings." He opened the door to his car and drove off. He didn't even notice he was speeding or that his foot was pressing on the gas pedal. "She did know Ash a lot longer than me, so what am I moping about?" he thought. Just then a siren was heard behind him.

"Oh great, the cops," he thought. "What the hell did I do?"

"Sir, you have been driving way above the limit. I believe I'm going to have to give you a ticket."

"What? But I didn't even know! How fast was I going?"

"According to the speedometer, it says 75. You should be more careful! It snowed few days ago, and the roads are slippery! Do you have a death wish?" Officer Jenny said, writing on a notepad.

"No ma'am," Gary said stiffly. He had never been pulled over before.

"Here you are. Pay for it as soon as possible," Officer Jenny said, handing him his first ticket ever, then got on motorbike and drove off.

Gary looked at the ticket and threw it behind him. It landed on the backseat. His day couldn't get any worse. Until he discovered he had a flat tire.

"Man!" Gary grumbled at the wheel. He got out of his car and leaned on the door and got his cellular phone from his pocket. "Gramps, I have a flat tire," he said.

"Well call for a tow truck."

"Can't you just come and get me?"

" Gary, I can't always come running to you…"

"Please?"

"Oh fine. Where are you?"

"Near Cerulean Gym."

"Cerulean Gym? What are you doing there?"

"I was taking care of some business."

"You're not visiting Misty now are you? You know Elite Four frowns upon it. Plus you're jeopardizing her job."

"Gramps, I'm not visiting Misty! Can you get here please? It's freezing."

"Okay, okay I'm coming."

Gary waited outside while clasping his hands together, blowing his breath on them. He waited for a very long twenty minutes.

"Finally!" Gary said with relief.

" Gary, now that I'm here, can I have your car keys?"

"Why?"

Professor Oak opened up the trunk. "For goodness sake Gary, you have a spare tire in the trunk!" he pointed out.

"Um, so I do," Gary said, looking embarrassed. "Of all things I forget I have a spare tire. God, I feel so stupid. Well I wouldn't even know how to put it on anyway without screwing up," he thought. The two helped each other put the spare tire on.

"Okay now that you know, don't call me again about flat tires. Let's go home. I cooked dinner," Professor Oak said. Gary started his car and followed behind. He wasn't paying attention as his mind was fixated on seeing Misty laughing happily with Ash. He almost rammed into the back of his grandfather's car.

"Oh crap!" he said as he pressed on the brakes. He was barely three inches apart and was lucky not to crash into his grandpa's car. He hyperventilated. "That was close!" he said. Just then someone honked at him for stopping there while the light was green. "Oh piss off!" Gary bellowed as he caught up to his grandpa. They arrived home and had dinner.

" Gary, is something wrong? You don't seem to even be driving right."

"Yeah, everything's fine gramps," Gary garbled with food in his mouth.

"I don't think almost mashing into the back of my car and cursing is all right. What's the matter?"

"I'm just nervous about this whole having to relocate thing."

"No I don't quite think that's it. You never really get nervous about change."

"Then what is it?"

"You seem distracted."

"No, I'm not gramps," Gary said as stood up to put his plate in the sink and tripped over the table leg.

"Ahh!" Gary yelped, with his face flat on the floor, twitching. His elbows were held at an angle so that the dish wouldn't break at impact with the marble floor.

"See what I mean?"

Gary didn't say anything else and went back to his room to file his papers and finish his remaining work. After that, he researched online for all city statuses of whether or not they were in need of a pokemon professor. If there was one thing Gramps didn't tell Gary, it was getting a job after finishing school that was the hard part. He sat by his computer for three hours, writing down notes on his notepad. He was getting bored.

"I wonder what Misty is doing? So far I've only found three cities free that are in need of a pokemon professor. Two of which are so damn far away, I wouldn't bother. The other one is Mandarin Island—South. Where the hell am I going to choose? I can't rely on grandpa for everything. I've gotta make my own income."

Gary sat by his desk, thinking. He had his arm on his chin. He could take the job and never be able to see Misty and bother her or, he could just lounge around not looking for a position and look pretty bad to the rest of the world for not getting a job right after writing a renowned book in the Kanto region. He sat in a vertical position, putting his face in his hands. A small round-like item was bulging from his pocket.

"What the heck is that?" he thought. He pulled it out. It was the same necklace from the other night. He held it within his fingers and stared at it. The symbol dwindled as it hung on the chain it was hooked to. He looked at the two clashing colors. A vibrant yellow and a tinted celadon.

"Can't believe I forgot," Gary thought as he confidently threw it back into back into his trouser pocket. He went to the closet and took out a few old items and finagled with them as they were tangled and in storage boxes beneath his hangers.

Back at Cerulean Gym, Misty glumly cooked dinner for herself. She made too much and forgot she didn't have to make Gary's portion anymore. She put leftovers in dishes for Ash and company, in case they got hungry. Just then, Misty heard a light rap on the door.

"Better not be a stupid trainer, it's already past six," she thought as she went to open the door.

"What in the hell—" Misty spoke out loud. She repressed her sprouting smile.

It was Gary. Or at least looked somewhat like him dressed in clothes that looked way too small on him.

"Hey Misty!" the person who resembled Gary said. "It's me, Gary Oak!"

"Wha—what are you wearing?"

"These are my trainer clothes. I'm a pokemon trainer. I want a match."

"Ha-ha, Gary, very funny. I would like to but it's late. I don't do evening matches," Misty said as she smiled, sitting down at the dining table.

"Well, now that I'm dressed in my old trainer clothes, I can come near you without the Elite Four bothering us! I'm a trainer right now, not a professor."

"What?" Misty gasped. She only stared back at Gary with his tattered blue long-sleeved shirt, scuffed pants, and old brown shoes that look like they were pinching his toes.

"I'm so sorry about what I said, about the whole "you're not my girlfriend" thing. You're the first to not tell me off and call me an arrogant bastard right in my face. I appreciate that. For that, I want to give you something. It might look familiar to you." Gary said in an amusing style.

Gary threw it at her in a fun manner. It was the necklace.

"I remember this. You used to wear it all the time when we were trainers," Misty looked up, holding it tenderly in her left hand.

"Well Misty, I'm off! I've got to get to Mandarin Island first. I won't forget our 'feisty relationship.' I'll send you a postcard when I settle down!" Gary said with a huge grin and a tint of scarlet. He really meant to say "meaningful" instead of "feisty" but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He waved as he went into his car. Misty watched from behind as she giggled at him limping with tight shoes that barely fit him, and the pants looked like they were tad bit too small.

"Wait!" Misty said as she ran out the gym, holding the necklace hopefully.

**End Chapter 14: Fade Away. Onto Chapter 15. **


	15. Chapter 15: The Gym

**Chapter 15: The Gym**

Misty ran out the door. She hoped to see Gary barely just getting into his car. As soon as she caught up with the outside murky mist touching her cheeks, she saw Gary driving off. Misty watched his car become a small red dot until she could no longer see anything but night and snow. She was ready to cry but just simply put the necklace on. The string was smooth and did not scrape against her neck like most strings. She held it again, looked at it and let her tears splash on it. She wiped her eyes and went back inside. She walked into the lab. She opened a few drawers and found several battered water stones.

"Stupid ass hole didn't even tell me he used water stones for his research," she mumbled, clearing her eyes of any remaining tears. "Now I have to go buy some more for inventory," she thought. She grabbed her parka from the closet turned on her car in the garage. She seldom used it ever since Ash said he would get her a new bike but he never did.

Back in Pallet Town, Gary was befuddled and perplexed. He had left Misty. He felt his job to be of way more importance that messing with some girl he had not known even for four months. If he thought about it, he did know Misty pretty well, seeing her always with Ash. He just never really ever spoke to her. He had to pack anyway; he had to fill the position in Mandarin Island on time before they would give it away to someone else. And he had to be interviewed by the previous professor to see if he was competent enough.

"Ugh, stupid people who demand everything to happen in one day. Why can't that stupid professor give me more time?" he said out loud, putting clothes into his luggage. "Getting to Mandarin Island will take me at least sixteen hours. Not to mention the stupid boat rides I'll be forced to take." He put a lot of paper and books into a black leather briefcase and walked off.

"Gramps, it looks like I'm off," Gary said.

" Gary, I just want you to know I am very proud of you," Professor Oak said and gave his grandson a hug.

Gary did not hug back for he had the tendency to think of Misty when he hugged anyone but hugged his grandfather since he was family. He threw all bags into the trunk and drove off.

"I can just settle down real quick into my new laboratory and come back and maybe talk to Misty again. I seriously don't have any choice. I did tell her I would be back," he thought, driving to the port.

The wait to Mandarin Island was gruesome. Gary was bored out of his life. The boat made him nauseous as he had to sit on the open top with the wind constantly blowing in his face to keep from turning shades of green. By the time he got there, he went to the restroom and his hair was entwined in tangles and made into a powder puff mess. He has to waste thirty minutes trying to get his wild hair to tone down with other men who entered the restroom look at him with awkward eyes as if he were too feminine, wasting so much time frivolously trying to perfect his hair. While combing, a man threw his number before him on the sink.

"Um…" Gary thought and just left it there. He fixed his blue tie and his pinstripe grey suit, then walked out of the restroom with briefcase in hand, looking almighty as if he knew everything.

He sat in the office. He waited another painful two hours for the professors. They finally came to interview him and he was given the job.

Meanwhile in Viridian City, Misty was also monotonously waiting for a set of water stones. When she finally got the box, she stopped by Pallet Town. She finally thought it was time to snag Gary for herself. She was tired of being alone and Ash wasn't helping at all. Ash had become more of a friend figure for her more than a boyfriend type. After seeing May, she seemed more suited for Ash. She took her stones and drove to Pallet. She took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell.

"Hello Professor Oak," Misty nervously breathed out.

"Why Misty, what a pleasant surprise. If you're looking for Gary—"

"I'm not looking for Gary!" Misty blurted. "Oh wait, yes I am."

"He's left for Mandarin Island. He's going to be the new professor there. If you like I can give you his new address," Oak said, holding up a few small pokemon in his hands.

"Oh, no thanks Professor. Thank you though," Misty said, skipping down the stone steps quickly. "Tch, what a jerk. Can't even leave me his new home address and makes me to go and look for him." Misty drove back home and set in the new stones in the specified lab drawers.

"Oh great I didn't even buy enough. Looks like I have to go back. Blargh…" Misty set off again. She took no notice of Ash and his crew this time. She was too preoccupied with trying to catch Gary. Normally she would have just ordered them instead of running around town but she wanted to examine each carefully instead of receiving a box full of imperfect and defected water stones. When she arrived in Viridian for the second time, Misty apparently took them all so she had to go to other towns to see if they supplied water stones. Misty should have been the main provider, being that she was the water gym leader but thanks to Gary, they were all ruined.

While Misty was on her "quest" for stones, Gary did not bother to settle in his new home gym and left the boxes to rot and lie on the floor. He wanted to just go explain himself to Misty. Unfortunately he was on an island and he could not stand boat rides. He took the plunge and let himself sit on the boat feeling like he was going to throw up. His car remained back in storage since he was not willing to transport a car to and from an island to regular land. He drove to Cerulean. The gym doors were locked. As usual, there was a line of edgy trainers standing outside.

"Where the hell is she?" he asked himself out loud.

"I don't know. Why don't you go look for her," his old rival said quietly behind him. He was accompanied by May, who had the look of "gross" on her face while staring at Gary.

"I don't know where she is! Didn't you hear me the first time Ashy boy?"

"Don't call me that you stupid tightwad."

Gary and Ash were arguing just like when they were younger. Except Gary didn't have his league of cheerleaders and Ash was not accompanied no longer in his childish state. In fact, he was mad. Mad that he could never be with Misty and that his timing was horrible. He was glad to see May cared for him, but at the same time he didn't care that May liked him. Ash threw the first punch.

He hit Gary on the jaw.

"You damn petty ass wipe," Gary muttered, with blood coming out of his lip.

"Girl swiper!" Ash screamed in a high pitched tone, about to lunge at Gary again.

May intervened, coming in between the heated two. Ash ended up socking May in the face.

"Oh my god! May!" Ash ran to May, who now had a black eye. Gary only stood there with an agitated leer.

"Serves you right," Gary scoffed.

Ash was angrier than ever. He never thought his own old rival from childhood would come and take the thing he considered beloved.

Gary walked off, wiping the dirt and the blood off his mouth. He fixed up his tie and went back into the car. Before he got in, he said to Ash,

"Ash. I didn't ask for this. Neither did Misty. Stop being juvenile and realize you've been left behind in the dust. I really didn't intend for this to happen. I know you love Misty but stop hurting yourself and move on. Past is past."

"I've known her way longer than you have! What the hell do you know?"

"Not much but I know she is caring. She deeply cares for her pokemon and would never let any harm come their way. She's a girl who won't let anything keep her from reaching her aspirations. I am glad I encountered her. Because I've come to like her also."

Ash didn't say anything. He walked towards May and picked her up from the ground. He touched the spot where he socked May on accident. May looked to the side as she was looking delighted that Ash probably had recognized and acknowledged her and her feelings.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered in May's ear and waited outside the gym for Misty to come back. He didn't have the keys for the gym. Brock was out buying groceries for dinner. Brock was getting aggravated each day that they were on a hiatus on their journey thanks to Ash who simply wouldn't leave Cerulean.

Gary finally left, still rubbing his jaw.

Misty finally obtained all the rocks she would need for years to come and ran off to Mandarin Island. Nothing was stopping her now. Except the Elite Four and the possession of the gym, but she momentarily didn't care. She saw Gary as her goal and couldn't let it slip through her fingers. She let it happen once, specifically when she gave her handkerchief to Ash and didn't see him for a prolonged amount of time then only to come back with another girl traveling with him. She too, felt queasy on the way there but she just simply had to get there in time. She walked around, asking for directions and finally made it to Gary's lab. She hoped she was in the right place. When she knocked on the door, an old lady in a lab coat opened the door.

"Hi, please excuse my intrusion at this hour, but I'm looking for Professor Gary Oak," Misty panted.

"What? Lady, I think you're in the wrong lab. Gary Oak has not obtained a lab yet," the old lady said. Apparently she was senile but Misty did not know that.

Misty was also on the wrong island. She was on Mandarin Island – North. Gary had settled down on Mandarin Island – South. She grunted with disbelief.

"Thank you, ma'am. Have a nice night," Misty said, dismissing herself off the premises.

"That jerk lied to me!" she screamed, stomping back to the docks. She waited to board the boat. She pushed a few people. She was furious. All that and for nothing. "Just use me and lose me, huh?" she muttered, sitting on the sea docks. The ferry took off.

She didn't know Gary was on the incoming one.

Gary did not know Misty was on the outgoing one.

They crossed each other unknowingly, looking at the floor of the boat instead of out the window to see each other.

The two continued on with their lives, in complete disgust. Gary furnished his new lab. It was too clean and perfect. Surprisingly Gary did not like it. Misty was back at the gym, just doing her duty.

"Hey Mist. Can I talk to you?" Ash asked, while Misty was sitting on the balcony of her gym, brooding.

"Yeah sure what is it?" Misty had nothing else better to do anyway. She grabbed her shoulder bag and followed Ash to the door.

"Let's take a walk. Want to come?"

"I suppose."

They walked off into the forest. Misty was slightly worried Ash would cause a scene but he didn't. It was utter silence. Their shoes crunched in the snow in unison. He finally halted when they were at least three miles into the forest, surrounded by fir trees and the smell of pinewood.

"How have you been?" Ash asked.

"I've been okay. Empty. I guess."

"Misty, I've been meaning to tell you this but I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused."

"No you haven't caused anything." Misty said gleefully. "Yes you have," she bitterly thought.

"While I'm standing here, I've come to realize something."

"What?"

"I've known you since we were kids. I wish I could just rewind time and see you again when I stole your bike. I missed my opportunity. And now I know I can finally let you go."

"I have something for you."

Ash's eyes lit up. "What is it?"

"I still have your hat."

Misty opened her bag and pulled it out. "Here. I took good care of it. Ash, although I cannot be the person you want me to be, you are the greatest friend I'll ever have. I hope you do well with May. And take care of her. She has a black eye. What did you do? Trip her?"

Ash chucked. "No, I did not. You're silly as usual."

Ash came and had the audacity to hug Misty. She just let him do it. They walked back as a broken couple that would never be and came back to the gym. May was waiting out at the front very worriedly.

"May, sorry to keep you waiting. I just had to take care of some things," Ash said, walking next to her and putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm glad for you Ash," Misty said quietly with a weak smile and walked back in, joining Brock in the kitchen. She didn't have the courage to look at May or Ash in the eye. Brock was chopping carrots on the cutting board.

"Looks like Ash talked to you."

"Yes, he did." Misty got out another cutting board and helped Brock cut the meat.

"He was planning for it last night. He got into a squabble with Gary last night."

"What? Gary?" Misty asked, sticking her knife straight down into the board. She demanded to know.

"You didn't know? He was here last night looking for you. Ash socked Gary on the face. Well Ash's decided to let you go. It's a surprise. You know how he is," Brock said, dumping the vegetables into the pot. Misty was about to run outside and hit Ash for daring to even put a finger on Gary but she just remained where she was, in the kitchen. She heard a voice again. She thought it was Gary saying she didn't know how to cook.

"What?" she said, spinning around, hoping to see Gary clad in a suit with a smirk.

"Did you say something?" Brock asked, stirring the pot.

"No, nothing."

Misty would not let herself cry. First she loses one of her closest friends, Ash. Next she can't find Gary and finds out he had lied to her. Now she was stuck being uncomfortable because Ash was settled with May.

The four ate dinner, only Brock sitting down comfortably while the rest slurped their stew with ongoing tension. Ash finally announced, "We're leaving tomorrow."

"We are?" Misty and May said simultaneously.

"Yes. It's been three weeks. I think it's time we go back to the Hoenn region. The badges aren't going to wait for me."

Misty looked at him. His personality kept fluctuating according to her. She couldn't figure him out at all. "Oh, do what you want Ash Ketchum," Misty thought cynically in her mind.

The next morning, the group was gathering all their things before leaving. Misty just watched them as they bustled, taking things they left lying around. They finally walked to the front of the gym.

"Well Misty, looks like this is it. It was good seeing you again," Brock said. "I made you some breakfast so you wouldn't have to make any for today."

"Thanks Brock," Misty said, giving him a hug.

"Misty, I want to ask this one last time," Ash said abruptly.

"What is it?"

May suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"I want to ask you one last time."

"What?" Misty asked irritated. She didn't like Ash reiterating the same thing over and over.

May suddenly had cringing grimace on her face.

"Would you like to join the group come travel with us?"

"No thank you," Misty said. May instantly looked relieved. Misty knew she would ruin the equilibrium of the group. She'd feel inferior and knew May would not like having her there and would most likely distract Ash.

"Well, then. I'll see you again," Ash said. He hugged Misty. Misty did not hug back but felt that he was repressing what he truly wanted to say, but the three left off. Pikachu waved at Misty. She once again stared at their backs until they disappeared off the road.

"Hey you! Gym leader! I want a match! Hello?" a trainer said behind her, interrupting her thoughts. Misty now saw she was completely alone. She used to have Gary at her gym but not even Ash was with her anymore.

"Why in the hell can I not make up my mind?" Misty shrieked.

Everyone looked at her as if she had some major problem.

"I'm sorry. Come in."

Misty let on matches and didn't care if she lost or not.

Gary was in his own laboratory, given useless assignments to complete. First he had to observe the behavior patterns of a few plant-type pokemon. He was demanded to give a full report within two days. After that he was told he had to "mingle" with a pair of pokemon to see their behavior pattern problems then give a report again. He was tired of it.

"How in the hell did Gramps find this fun at all?" he thought.

He received his first job of distributing pokemon to first time trainers and keeping their inventory if they exceeded seven. Unsurprisingly, he encountered two first timers who greatly resembled both him and Ash when they were kids.

He wanted to call Misty but each time he remembered, it was late at night and for the first time, he was considerate of Misty's feelings. He called a few times but she did not pick up her phone. He wasn't allowed to leave the island either, not before he finished all his assignments, according to his authority figures.

"This sucks, I swear," Gary muttered, tampering with test tubes.

Gary knew he had to find her soon. But his career was important also. He knew all along he had somehow liked Misty. He never wanted to admit it. He hoped Misty was doing well in Cerulean gym. The two were similar. Hot-headed, egotistical, brutal to others. Finally he had found someone and she wasn't even there to be with him.

Gary put on his glasses while putting test tubes on burners. They were thin-rimmed and black. While doing this, he just could not get Misty off his mind. He would have expected himself to fall for one of his cheerleaders, but he didn't. Instead he was in limbo with Misty. He continued his work, rushing just so he could finish and get off the damned island and find Misty.

After a long day, Misty was writing on a piece of fancy paper. She put the letter in an envelope and drove to the Elite Four headquarters. Gary's necklace was gently swaying on her neck. She came up to Lorelei and handed it to her. It was her resignation.

**End Chapter 15: The Gym. Onto Chapter 16. **


	16. Chapter 16: Mirror

**Chapter 16: Mirror**

Now that Ash had the hat back, there was no longer a reason; a link, a chain, he and Misty would have to meet up. Ever. He took off his new hat and put on the old one. It was a bit small, so his brow and mop of black hair was bulging out.

"What the heck are you wearing?" May asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking. It's just a memento of my past, May. Don't worry about it. I'll think of the future now." Ash replied back, taking her hand.

The three headed off away from the Kanto region. They wouldn't be coming back.

----

"Who will be replacing me?" Misty asked Lorelei.

"We'll find a replacement within the next few days," Lorelei said bluntly, resuming her paperwork. "You should contact your sisters you know, they might worry when they come back from their tour,"

Misty kept walking and didn't respond. After she handed her resignation, she went as far as she could walk. Far away as possible from the Elite Four and Cerulean Gym. She wanted to forget everything and simply become like the water, flowing away, letting go. She did not want to return. By evening she found herself by a creek in the middle of the forest. She squatted by the edge and stared at her reflection. She saw her face, her hair drooping over her eyes. She turned around.

" Gary?" she said faintly.

Nobody was behind her.

"Tch, yeah like he would find me in the middle of nowhere out in the wilderness." She heard a rustle behind the bushes. Misty was about to scream but she kept her mouth shut. An old woman crept out. Misty was so scared she almost toppled into the creek but fell backwards on her bottom, where there were some jagged rocks also. Her cellular phone, which was turned off, was in the back pocket. The cellular phone smashed under the weight. Since she was startled, her weight plus the rocks crushed the battery.

"Are you lost?" the old lady croaked, holding a lantern.

"No… why does my rear feel warm? Oh my god! My phone!"

She looked at her jeans, which now had tiny chips smashed all over like lego pieces. She pulled out the cartridge of her phone.

"Oh great," she muttered, holding the busted battery in the air. "What do you want?"

"Young lady, you do not speak like that to me. I am your elder."

Misty lowered her head. "I'm-I'm sorry."

"Miss, its past nine you know. You should head back indoors before you get caught in something like pokèmon poacher traps or get chased by large animals."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

Misty headed on by herself. She didn't need help from some old hag.

"Well, if you're going to be stubborn, the cabin I manage is right there," the old lady pointed. "Name is Miya by the way."

"Um… thanks…"

----

Gary was in his lab. Alone. Silent. He dialed Misty's number. No answer.

"Pick up, damn it!" he said and pushed the redial button over ten times. No answer at all.

_"We're sorry; the person you have dialed is unavailable right now." _

Gary groaned and flipped the phone down roughly, going back to observation. He fell asleep on his clipboard while watching plants grow.

----

A few days later, the three were looking up into the sky, merely thinking.

Misty was lost in the forest, looking up. Gary was outside his lab in Mandarin Island, also looking upward. Lastly was Ash, who was looking up at the sky; he was walking with May and Brock, on their way back.

The three were thinking of each other.

The smell and scene of nature encircled and enclosed on Misty. She breathed in more of the pine smell. She came to a thought.

"We are all in a sad, difficult situation… thus translating into…"

Misty could not find the proper words. After gazing deeply into the starry night sky, she said to herself: "…a snow's requiem."

She got up and walked up to the cabin Miya had previously offered her. While walking and the noises accompanying her, she contemplated more. "No one has died, just simply, our spirits, Ash's, Gary's and mine."

She opened the door to the cabin. The warm heater greeted her face with relief.

"So you're back," Miya said, offering her a cup of hot chocolate.

"May I use your phone?" Misty asked.

"Yes."

"May I stay here for the night?"

"As long as you've got cash on you."

Misty called her sisters. First she was lectured for being irresponsible, letting the family tradition go, and wandering around aimlessly. Second, she got the screaming of her life when she told her sisters she did not lose the gym, but simply resigned.

"Misty, like, how could you do that!" Violet said mockingly. "God if you're going to be such a lazy dunce, at least call us so we can come back. You ruin everything, Misty. And here we are basking in sunny Cancun and you spoil it with your interrupting phone call."

"Tch, good luck taming and controlling the pokèmon there. I may have left the gym but at least I shaped it into a proper gym, not a friggen tourist attraction with you tacky buttheads wading in water that lose to a multitude of trainers every damn day. Since you guys are too stupid to figure out what to do, catch a plane, come back to Cerulean and tell Lorelei you'll be taking my spot before she finds someone else." With that, Misty hung up.

She had dinner with Miya. There was no one else in the lodge.

"So it looks like you're the former water gym leader, Misty Waterflower."

"Um, yes I am. Thanks for reminding me of my misery."

"I'm sorry. I don't see why you have to be sour about everything. You've got everything you need. A gym, okay you had a gym, I'm pretty sure you made a lot of money being a gym leader, sisters who actually care about you, and I do read the newspaper… there are loopholes around the Elite Four you know."

Misty lightened up. She knew exactly what Miya was talking about. She turned her neck sharply to Miya, Gary's chain making a slight clink noise around her neckline. "Thank you," Misty said gratefully. "You're right, I do have everything. All I have to do now is get the one I consider my significant other… the only thing is that I can't find him." Misty cleaned up the dinner table and was shown her room for the night.

Just as Misty was about to enter her room, Miya said, "I did read he is in South Mandarin Island." Misty's eyes opened with shock. "I went to North Mandarin Island." She sat in bed, wondering what Miya meant by "loopholes in the Elite Four."

"She is one smart old hag," Misty admitted to herself. The next morning Misty decided to leave for another scenic place, the nearest from her was the mountains. She handed Miya more money than what was necessary, asked for the lodge address and decided to become friends with the old lady. She walked off into the morning fog.

"That girl has good fortune coming her way soon," Miya thought, watching her leave with lantern in hand.

----

Gary finally finished every dull task given in the lab and set off for Cerulean City. He was antsy on the boat ride back to the mainland and actually practicing speech while driving, figuring out what to say without being slugged by Misty.

"Misty, I'm really sorry I left you behind. Come with me? No, too corny… how about… how about… if I just give her a hug? No, I've got to say _something_. Can I kiss her? No, I don't want to be smacked on the face. His cheeks were still sore from being socked by Ash. What about… oh hell," Gary rambled as he drove through.

After driving for thirty minutes, he was in front of the gym. There was a sign hanging on the doorknob:

"**Temporarily Closed. Appointing a new Gym Leader**."

"What?" Gary screeched, pounding the door with his fist. "Why can't that bloody girl stay in one damn place where I can find her? I did tell her I would be back! Argh!"

Gary went into his car and went to the Elite Four. It was the closest thing to any sign of her whereabouts. Gary contemplated while driving. "It very well is my fault she's gone. Maybe she went out looking for me? But damn, I told her where I was! Why wouldn't she be able to find me? I guess I haven't been fair to her. My stupid self is too embarrassed to tell her how I feel so I always either rush or act mean to her. Now I don't know where the hell she ran off to. And if she's on her own, something might happen to her." Gary pressed the gas. He could only imagine Misty, trapped in some cave, captured by poachers, or crying her eyes out in the woods.

"She's stronger than that," Gary muttered under his breath. "That's not the girl I liked, some crybaby. She'll be all right."

Gary made it to Elite Four headquarters. "Where is she?" he demanded to Lorelei, who was silently writing on official documents.

"I'm not sure. You may have to go out and look for her. No one currently knows where she is," Lorelei said calmly, putting her fountain pen down after signing a paper.

"Who is going to be the new replacement?"

"Her sisters."

"That's a relief. Misty would never let that gym go without a fight."

"Yeah I didn't think she would. She seemed sidetracked. And there was this new chain on her neck. She had her luggage with her when she was here to turn in her resignation. She seemed as if something, just _some_ thing, I don't know what, seemed to be clear cut to her and she was determined to get it. I don't know, it's just my observation."

"She turned in a resignation? What!"

"Yes, she did. Your best bet now is to ask her sisters. They might know. You can ask them tomorrow. They're arriving from South America in the morning. I don't run a daycare so you're on your own for this. I will advise you though, Professor Oak, if you are to run into her, she can't keep her job if you are to pursue a romantic relationship with her. You might want to consider that."

"I am very well aware of that; I just have a duty I've got to keep."

"Which is just an embellishment for 'I wanna be with her but I'm faking it in front of everyone else'."

"That's not true. You know Lorelei, some of the damn rules you keep here make no sense. You should call for a meeting and revise the rules."

"I don't make them, I enforce them."

"Yes, and you don't even follow them, you hypocrite."

Lorelei suddenly turned pink. "What—wh-what are you talking about?"

"Everyone in the pokémon industry knows your relationship with that dragon expert. How ironic. Oh what's his name… Lance, I presume?"

Lorelei replied unusually slow. "How dare you put slanderous filth on me! You are out of line, you fresh kid! What kind of professor are you?"

"No I'm not. I am a good professor. I managed to write a book and get my own lab a hell of a lot younger than you joined the Elite Four. And you know _exactly_ what I'm talking about."

Lorelei couldn't deny what Gary was saying. He was right.

"H-how in the hell did you know?" she said, sitting down in her chair, astonished.

"I just saw you one day. I was on the same boat as you a few days ago when I was going to my new office in South Mandarin Island. I was sick as a dog but I still saw you on the first floor of the ferry, flirting with uh, shall I say his name out loud so the entire Elite Four administration can hear it?"

"No, you moron!" Lorelei jumped and put her hand over Gary's mouth. "And I was simply being courteous and professional to Lance, not flirting you jerk!"

"Then why are you getting all sensitive about it for no reason?" Gary muffled through her hand.

Lorelei instantly let go of Gary's mouth and sat in her chair again. She did not say anything nor could she defend herself.

"Make it simple. Let me be with Misty. You can frolic with Lance all you want. I just want to be fair. You might want to reconsider that stupid rule."

Gary walked off, fixing his tie. He felt accomplished and drove back to Pallet Town.

" Gary, what are you doing back so early? I thought you'd be busy in your new office," his grandfather asked.

"I am gramps, don't you worry. I'll live up to the family name but I'm just taking a small break. I'll stay for the night."

"I left your room the way you left it, Gary."

"Thanks, Gramps."

Gary impatiently waited until morning so he could run off to the Cerulean Gym and demand of Misty's sisters where she was. He drove once again to Cerulean City and waited for her sisters to appear. As Gary expected, they were late.

"Oh, gee that was such a long flight," Daisy said, taking a drink out of her water bottle. "Who are you?" she asked, noticing Gary on the steps.

"I'm inquiring about Misty Waterflower, your sister."

"Oh, we don't know where she is. Do you? We're going to pound her the moment we see her. She interrupted our trip and then she lets the gym go! It's been in the family for ages! How can she just leave it? Oh my god! What is that sign on the door?"

"Well if you would go walk up and read it, you would know. You don't know what she's been going through," Gary muttered and slid off the stone steps.

"What's your relationship to her?" Violet asked.

"I'm a friend."

"Wait… you're Gary Oak aren't you?"

"What do you think?"

"Well I don't know if you don't tell me your name."

"I'm off," Gary said, pulling out the keys to his car. He didn't feel like answering them, nor was it necessary.

"Wait," he said. "Misty's been here all alone. Most gym leaders are accompanied by subordinates. You had each other in the gym. She had no one. But then again, I really don't think you understand. Have a nice day." He went to his car and drove around. He could not think of any place at all where Misty could be hiding.

"Let's see… anything pertaining to water? For goodness sake, she lives in a town of water. I've got no choice but to tell Ash."

Since Ash did not have a cellular phone, Gary drove off to look in nearby region. "All that gasoline I waste just for her," he though. He walked around in search of any sign of Ash. He parked in a free spot and walked around. "Where is he?" After three hours of wandering around and sightseeing, he managed to finally find them eating at a tent bar.

"Ash, can I talk to you?" Gary asked. He popped out of nowhere.

"What do you want?" Ash sneered, with rice in his mouth.

"It's important."

Ash finally listened and followed Gary. May and Brock looked suspicious of the two.

"What do you suppose Gary is here for?" Brock asked May.

"I don't know, he always causes trouble for Ash," May replied with disgust.

As soon as Gary and Ash were one hundred feet away from the tent bar, Ash burst with a whining "Well, what?"

"Look, I drove all the way out here to tell you something so you'd better shut up. Misty resigned from the gym and she's no where to be found. Do you have any idea?"

"What? She resigned? How could she do that? I've got to go look for her!"

"That's my job, retard," Gary said, stopping Ash from running off.

"Well I'm still her friend!"

"Well I think you'd better go on with your little tournament gym matches. I'll look for her."

"I think it would go faster if there were more of us looking for her."

"I don't think she would like many people looking for her. I'll go. Just suggest to me where she would run off to."

"Where was the last place you saw her?" Ash asked grudgingly. He knew he had no time to run off anyway. There was another tournament coming up and he had only gotten one-third of the badges he needed. But he still wanted to see Misty one last time.

"The mountains nearby this region, it was snowing there last time I was there."

"Well, then go there. It's not too far from here. Good luck. And tell Misty I said hi."

"Good luck in your future battles," Gary said, walking back to his car.

The two shook hands and parted. Gary was glad Ash decided not to barge in and go find her too thus making it harder on the both of them.

----

Misty was looking through a few formed ice stalactites as she walked around.

"They look magnificent," she thought. "I wonder what I'll do after this. Probably stay with Miya for awhile until I can face my sisters. I bet they're pretty steamed at me. Their puny heads wouldn't understand anyway. They can't even manage to beat level one trainers."

She kept looking around and saw her reflection in a few of the ice mirrors. She was getting nervous that someone would appear behind her. After all, she was alone and by herself in the snowy mountains.

"I think I should go…" she thought as she turned to leave. Just then, she heard crunching movement in the snow. She gasped and turned to a nearby corner to conceal herself. She hoped it was just a harmless, cute pokémon hobbling around. She tried hard not to startle herself. The crunching noises were coming closer. Misty thought she might as well come out from the little niche she was hiding in. She looked around and didn't see anyone. She looked through one of the large ice stalactites. There was a person behind it. The person was a tall figure with brown hair, also looking in the same exact direction. Misty was startled but she stared closer and carefully.

The two looked into each other's reflections, gazing.

The other person stared harder. It was her. The ice stalactite made her image blurry but he could see the orange mass of hair he recognized when he was here before.

" Gary…?" Misty whispered.

**End Chapter 16: Mirror. Onto Chapter 17. **


	17. Chapter 17: Find Out

**Chapter 17: Find Out  
**

**Author's Note**: Special thanks to _ChaseVoid_ for pointing out location continuity errors. I have edited all chapters for this problem. And especially _Maia's Pen_, fellow beta-reader and who can always fill anyone with Gary Oak-goodness.

---

"Gary?" Misty croaked out again. She peered from behind the ice stalactite.

"Gary?" she whispered once more, feeling like she was stuck in a hide-and-seek game. The figure stepped closer to her.

To her huge dismay, the brown-haired person she saw before her eyes was not Gary Oak, but was a guy who looked similar but not as attractive as Gary, except with a mop of spiky brown hair.

"Gary? Who's Gary?" the man asked. He fixed his scarf and cleared his throat. "Hey, I recognize you; you're the Cerulean Gym leader aren't you? Yeah I thought it was you. You checked in here several weeks ago didn't you? Even I would like to challenge you to a match, but now's not the time. First things first, I know exploring the mountain caves is interesting but you have to be accompanied by a professional or else I'm going to have to ask you to leave and go back to the cabins. It's too dangerous. It's still winter and something could happen to you. You know there are tours? Why don't you just go to those?"

"Who are you?" Misty said, frazzled. "And who are you to tell me where I can and can't be?" she said annoyingly in her head.

"I'm the tour guide here. I just work here. Now come on, we need to come down. It might snow soon."

"Um, okay," Misty muttered, leaving with red cheeks. She felt embarrassed, about to spill her longing emotions in front of a complete stranger. "I wish Gary cared about me like that," she thought, walking behind the tour guide down the slippery ice slope. The back of his head look exactly like Gary. She looked away as she did not want to be reminded. She got back down and into the town below the mountains she was in previously.

"What am I going to do now?" she thought, looking around aimlessly at the tent bars and shops. "I've got a lot of money I should find one way to spend some of it on myself before coming back home. I have to reclaim the gym before my sisters completely muck it up." Misty knew her finances were in tact. She felt it was time to have some time to herself, after all, she had been whining about being trapped in the gym everyday. She left and went off to Miya's motel stop. She had nothing else to do.

---

Meanwhile, Gary was driving around each pokemon town that contained a gym. That was his best bet, or the mountains. He even dug through his trunk to look for the article in the newspaper and showed it to people who ran restaurants and local services to see if they had seen her or her whereabouts.

"I have never worked so hard to look for one stupid redhead person," Gary grumbled, as one of the hostesses from a restaurant told him they've never seen her before. He walked down the walkway of Cerulean City. It was nighttime and many people were out having vacation. Quite a few girls swarmed around Gary, squealing and asking for his autograph, but Gary was too fixated on just getting back to his car. A girl suddenly came up to him and shoved paper in his face.

"Sign!" she shrieked with excitement and handed him a pen.

"Um…fine…" Gary said, flustered. He scribbled and handed it back to her. He ran to his car before more people would surround him and demand his autograph.

"Where to…?" he thought.

---

Misty walked back to the last place she was, in the forest where Miya maintained her little cabins for trainers. Miya was in the back, tending to the flowers in the garden.

"Hey Miya," Misty said in a forlorn tone and plopped on the stool.

"Back so soon?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of on a 'quest' for Gary… well not really. It's more of just healing my solitude."

"Why do you feel so alone?"

"I've been managing the gym on my own with no one but pokemon for a long time, more than a year in fact. Before I used to not mind, but I think I reached my limit. I need someone. At first I thought it was a guy I used to travel with but he's… just… I don't feel a connection from him anymore. The person I'm looking for—I don't even know where he is."

"Why don't you call him?"

"I broke my cell phone, remember?"

"I've got a telephone inside the house, you know."

"I know you do, but the thing with cell phones, when you have one, you tend not to memorize numbers. You just press the call button. And I don't know his number by heart."

"See this generation… relying too much on technology. In my day, we used address books and wrote down people's numbers on paper."

"But for now, I just want to be alone. But you're here with me… like a confidant."

"I've been meaning to ask Misty, but why do you like this Gary professor so much? You're jeopardizing your own job for him."

"I don't know… it's that kind of bond with a friend where you feel as if he's the one that feels complimentary to you. So much to the point where fighting and bickering isn't annoying, but well… fun. I'm not saying I like arguments but I like him for who he is, even if he's an arrogant jerk-bastard, whatever you want to call him. Even through his icy surface… I still find solace in him. And also through the arrogant exterior, he wouldn't hurt anyone—unless if he has to. And that's why I like him… in a nut shell, if you want to call it that." Misty said with pride. "And he's not half-bad looking, heh heh…" she thought.

Miya smiled. "Sounds like you thought this through nicely," she said, picking up a bushel of flowers and walked inside. Misty followed behind. The two had dinner with long conversations.

---

Gary was almost to the mountains where he got pulled over for his second ticket.

"Speeding? Are you kidding me?" Gary moaned, crumpling the ticket and throwing it in the back seat. "I'll take care of it after I find her."

When he got there, he groaned again. At first he looked stunned. He saw a copy of himself before him. "Wow you look like me. Except bleh-looking," he thought.

"Excuse me; have you see the Cerulean Gym leader, Misty Waterflower?" Gary asked the duplicate in front of him.

"Yes, she was here hours ago. But she left."

"Where?" Gary asked, jumping in front of the Gary look-alike tour guide.

"I don't know. We don't keep track of those things."

Gary sighed as he headed back to his car. "Why is this girl so hard to find? I can't give up, but it's so late. I should go home and try again tomorrow. If she's going to be so stubborn I might as well stay in the Orange-freaking Islands..." He drove off into the night.

---

Misty collected her belongings and headed for the door.

"Are you sure you want to go back to your gym now?" Miya asked.

"I might as well. I can't be playing around. It's almost sundown. I've got a duty to do. Even though I kind of put it off, I should go back. He isn't going to magically find me here anyway. I'd like to thank you for everything, Miya."

"You're welcome. And whenever you feel beat, just come here. I'll let you stay here for free. Except food and sleeping," Miya said with a smirk.

"Of course," Misty said, walking outside and waiting for her taxi to pick her up. She looked at her watch. "He should be here by now, it's cold out here," she muttered to herself.

Just then, a car zoomed by. Misty poked her head out to see if it was the cab driver picking her up. The person in the driver's seat for some odd reason resembled Gary's face. She stared further as the car seemed to lose speed then suddenly halted and reversed direction. Misty was startled.

The car backed up right in front of her. Misty was unsure whether to stay where she was or run off into Miya's cabin.

"What is up with this stranger? Why is he in front of me? I think I should go inside," she thought with a look of disgust on her face. She picked up her luggage and turned towards Miya's gate.

The car door opened. Misty gulped and walked fast towards the gate. Before she could get to the gate, the stranger from the car reached for her hand.

"Let go or I'll kick your punitive little ass," she said dangerously and flung her bags at the person provoking her.

"Oww! Damn it, that hurt!" a recognizable voice said.

Misty dropped her bags. It was him.

"You know, for a girl, you're very strong," the person said, rubbing his face.

"Gary!" Misty yelped. She ran up to him and hugged him. Gary did not expect this at all whatsoever. He was expecting to be screamed at from Misty. But he just hugged back.

"Where have you been?" Gary murmured into her ear.

Misty felt relieved, as if she were no longer carrying a heavy load of burdens. She just hugged back Gary tighter and closed her eyes. It was satisfying. Misty put her arms around Gary's neck. They stood close, at eye-to-eye level. Gary looked with his one eye at her blue eyes. He stared into them and felt mesmerized. He turned his head and moved a little closer. Closer until his lips met with Misty's and shared a soft, passionate kiss.

Misty was no longer going to deny it. "You were what I needed…" she thought.

The two held each other in the gently falling snow, very picturesque for both of them. First meeting was in the snow and ended in the snow. Misty let her lips part from Gary's as she had to gasp for air.

"I think winter will be ending soon… and it'll be spring," Gary said softly, stroking her hair smoothly. "I'm sorry about everything, the hyper beam, bothering you and all that other stuff..."

"Why be sorry? As cheesy as this is, I wouldn't have gotten to know you in the first place. You would have just been known to me as: 'Ash's rival.'"

Nearby was Ash. He smiled bitter sweetly. "I wish you true happiness, Misty" he thought and walked away. His smile was composed of both sadness and triumph. "Gary, you'd better not hurt her or I'll beat you to a pulp," he thought, joining up with May and Brock. The three cheerfully headed out into the horizon, never to be seen again.

"So you do wear it," Gary said back to Misty, picking up the necklace dangling from her neck.

Misty did nothing but smile a genuine, serene smile. It was the first time Gary had seen her smile. It was not her playful smile, tired smile or her sarcastic smiles, but a real smile meant for him only. He smiled back, flashing all his perfect teeth, but he looked plastic. Misty giggled. She felt filled with happy emotions.

"You should work on your smile more," Misty whispered. The feeling of loneliness dissipated from her.

"What are you talking about? All the fans love my smile," he said, flashing all his pearly whites again to Misty. "Besides, there's more to me than just teeth. And by the way, do you know you're very expensive? You cost me a lot of speeding tickets. Guess who gets to pay them."

"You," Misty said with glee.

Gary felt a tad awkward as he always had female fans, especially the cheerleaders but he had never had a set person who liked him for he was. It was always about his physical appearance and abilities. No one had cared for him like Misty just because of the way he was. He could feel a strong aura coming from himself that he actually liked this girl this time, unlike the many others who came along and clinged to him like gum just because his name was Gary Oak, the pokemon professor.

As Misty looked down, looking like she was feeling awkward since feelings were out in the open, Gary hesitantly put his hand on Misty's cold cheek.

"Your hands are warm," Misty whispered. She welcomed Gary's embrace, feeling secure in his arms and rested her head against his broad shoulder.

"Thank you," Gary said, and leaned in and captured a second moment of passion from Misty. Misty eyes widened, thinking that Gary wouldn't come in contact with her face, but she kissed back, closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips touched as they enjoyed every moment that compensated from being far away from each other too long.

---

Gary drove Misty home. He got out of his car and ran over the other side to open the door for her. "Since when are you so gentleman-like?" Misty asked.

Gary did nothing but give her one of his famous smirks. He went to the trunk and pulled out her luggage. He also took off the scarf he was wearing and wrapped it around Misty's neck. "Don't get sick. I don't like sick girls."

"Oh shut up," Misty said, reaching for his hand. "There's just one thing…"

"What?"

"How am I going to see you?" she asked in a serious tone.

Gary didn't know how to answer.

**End Chapter 17: Find Out. Onto Chapter 18.**


	18. Chapter 18: Water Drop

**Chapter 18: Water Drop**

Gary looked closely into Misty's eyes. He looked into her for the first time. It was simply amazing. No stupid Elite Four, no Lorelei, no interfering Ash. No nothing. Just Misty. Gary flashed a determined smile at her. His smile locked up every joint in her body, freezing her in place. "Can we not worry about that? After this long chase and now I've finally got you with me. I just… I just want a moment alone with no worries, distractions, or thoughts about work or other annoying people. You worry too much. I've got something planned."

Gary had no idea what he was going to do.

Misty absorbed his words and clinched herself to Gary. She loved the feeling of having Gary's chin rest upon her head. "Okay… let's just stand here… together…" Bits of snow fell all around the two. She never figured in a million years she'd use the word "together" and it being Gary.

Gary let go and wiped away the snow from her hair. He put his hand on her cheek.

"What kind of cologne do you use?" Misty asked.

"You like it?"

Misty shook her head and looked at him with a sly smile. "I think you should change it. You smell like a Vileplume."

They went home together. "I guess we should get everything straightened in the morning. We'll see how I can get here and how you can reinstate yourself. And quit running away. I took a lot of time off work just to find you at some old hag's house. Plus grandpa is not going to be happy with me if he finds out I took leave from work when I barely started."

"She's not some old hag! She's a friend! And her name is Miya."

Normally, Gary had a hoard of cheerleaders in his car and a chauffer to match. This time, Misty was his only passenger and the presence of this fiery redhead outmatched all the cheerleaders who had ever accompanied him. He drove off. He wasn't sure where to take her. Every time he asked, Misty didn't reply. They ended up near her ex-gym. He parked a few hundred feet away. Misty looked down, dreading having to go back after letting it go. She let down the family's legacy at the expense of her feelings. She just felt so awful. She stepped out and waited for the trunk to open.

"What's the matter?" Gary asked, handing her luggage and trying to get her to stop sulking.

"It's just…" Misty couldn't articulate her feelings. "I just feel so bad. I was entrusted to take care of this gym but I throw it away and resign! I don't blame my sisters for being mad at me. I mean my sisters misplaced the deed somewhere a long time ago… they're probably losing to trainers right now…ugh! How am I gonna get control of the gym?! I don't even have proper ownership of it and it's not like my sisters care about it as much as I do!" She couldn't help it. A tear let out of her eyes.

Gary just stared at her. He could barely understand through her sniffling and crying. "Just wait for me here. I'll be back by tonight. And here." He handed his cell phone to her. "This is my other phone. Call if you need something. It's in the phone book."

Gary drove off and didn't even kiss Misty good-bye.

"He's still a jerk," Misty whimpered. And what kind of guy has two phones, she thought. But yet, she couldn't help but think how darn attractive Gary looked.

Where did he go? "He just leaves me here…" Misty muttered and carried her bags around town. She remembered she was not a gym leader anymore. She looked at her Cerulean Gym and saw a sign indicating performance times. She so wished she did not turn in that resignation.

"I should probably think about the long-run and stop being such a spontaneous idiot," Misty brooded, staring longingly at her gym.

She could just walk in and stay in her room but it would be agonizing for her to watch her sisters just do whatever they pleased and not care about any of the pokémon she put all her time and effort into. She did nothing else but wander around town.

Gary, unable to think of any other option but confronting Lorelei, drove to the Elite Four. He couldn't get the image of Misty's tears out of his head. He sat in his car waiting for Lorelei to show up. After an hour he saw her heading up the stairs.

Lorelei immediately gave him icy indifference the moment Gary stepped out of his car.

"C'mon Lorelei, I'm not going to badger you for very long."

She stopped. "I don't have time for—"

"You're awfully dressed up just for a day at work," Gary interrupted. "I was going to be civil today and ask for a generous favor. You know, I used to constantly smash my success in people's faces. Amusing as it is, I learned when to use ego like a tool. And it gets tiresome after awhile if not used properly. I've grown since then but I thought I would never have to use this to refer to a trainer like you. What a _loser_."

And with that, Gary walked back to his car, hands in his pocket and sped off. There were a million other alternatives to solve problems and he wasn't going to give up that easily.

Lorelei couldn't believe she just got called an elementary schoolyard label.

Back in Cerulean City, Misty wasn't sure what to do. She strolled around the dock four times already. Her arms started to hurt carrying luggage around. She ended up back at the front of the gym. Figuring she might as well go in, she came in through the back and put her bags in the storage shed in the backyard. She grabbed her bike and peddled off to the Elite Four, Gary's necklace wavering to and fro around her neck and swinging in mid-air. She held in it in her hand while cycling. "This is the only thing I can do for you… I guess," thinking of Gary and all the effort he took to find her in the middle of nowhere.

She busted through the doors, ignoring the secretary who was pointlessly trying to restrain her. She stomped over to Lorelei's desk.

She stood over Lorelei's desk, panting and gasping for air.

Lorelei raised an eyebrow, looking at her assistant clinging to Misty's arm and repeatedly telling her to leave.

"You turned in your resignation so now I'm hiring someone else." Lorelei was getting irritated. First Gary calling her a loser now this. She turned to her assistant. "I'll deal with this. Lock the door on your way out and don't let anyone in," she said in a muted anger manner. She faced Misty. "I have a lot of work today, so I'd appreciated it if you'd quietly leave the premise," said Lorelei, emphasizing "quietly" and pointing at the door.

"Ugh forget it!" Misty screeched. She looked to the side and noticed Lorelei had no pending paperwork whatsoever. "I came here to ask for my position back!" she demanded, putting both her hands over Lorelei's desk.

Lorelei unhurriedly put her pen down. "Well I think you should give your sisters a chance. You've been the appointed leader for quite a long time now. I think it's time you gracefully step down and let other people in your family, who are also gym leaders, have their chance," she retorted in a slow, patronizing manner. She looked to the side as if she were day dreaming. She clearly pretended Misty was not there.

"You know damn well that I do a wonderful job! More than the three of my sisters combined! And for that stupid handbook you delivered me, I recall the regulations saying there is no exact time limit for a gym leader. Only under dire circumstances."

Lorelei pulled open a desk drawer. "We regret losing you. But you handed in your resignation. It's valid and your signature is on it." Lorelei pointed at the letter.

Misty glared. "Why do you not want me as gym leader? Do you have a grudge against me or something?" She paused a bit. Was she being a bit irrational? She didn't feel that she was. She was just simply asking for a reason, and it better be a good reason.

"Misty, I'm not going to let your stupid boyfriend jeopardize my job by blackmailing me then ask me for favors. Besides, what's the point of rules if you only follow part of them?"

"Gary is _not_ stupid," Misty gritted through her teeth, thinking that was the most unfitting adjective to place next to him. She frowned, thinking hard about the last few sentences that were just said. "What do you mean by blackmail? You're hiding something, aren't you?" Favors…? Misty pondered.

"No I'm not. I just want to keep my job. Something you foolishly threw away. I am appointing your sisters first thing tomorrow morning," Lorelei concluded, hoping to end to conversation right then and there.

Suddenly, the door knob twisted, followed by a few knocks. "Lorelei! Open the door!" a distinct voice demanded.

"Come back later!" Lorelei barked, biting her lip.

"Look, Lorelei, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday, we're going to dinner tonight, right?" Lance chirped loudly on the other side.

Game over. Lorelei trudged to the door and unlocked it. It was no use anymore. Lance walked in, merrily presenting an expensive-looking bouquet of roses, ribbons and all. Lance stopped midway the moment he noticed Misty, arms proudly crossed.

"Oh… crappers…" Lance grunted. He turned the same color as his hair, dropped the flowers and ran out the door.

Lorelei shook her head and tried to keep a straight face. Her hand partially covered her eyes, trying to shade the brimming embarrassment forming on her cheeks. She picked up the bouquet and set it aside on her desk.

Misty couldn't help but sarcastically smile. "So colleagues give each other flowers when they forget a birthday? So what's your excuse this time? Lance is gay? You just take out your anger on Gary and me because by the rules, you can't have a relationship! So instead you just hide it and break up all the other gym leaders in this region! What's wrong with you? When I first met you, I admired you as a great trainer and especially as my idol. Well, my mind's been changed." Misty headed for the door.

"Wait," Lorelei called out in desperation.

"What?" Misty said, infuriated.

"I'll make you a deal. You keep my secret and I'll keep yours."

Misty paused and glanced back at her. "On the condition that you revise that rule about gym leaders can't have relationships. It's a dumb rule that I don't think ANY of us follow anyway. What exactly are you trying to hide? Everyone knows about you and Lance. Just that no one really mentions it to your face. Besides the fact that you enforce the rules, you break it everyday! So just fix up that little rule so that everyone, including you, will be happy. We all know you guys have the power to do it."

Lorelei slowly stood up.

Misty felt uneasy, not knowing whether or not she was going to be slapped or yelled at even more. She was, after all, sharply talking back to her superior.

Lorelei reached into a drawer, pulled out Misty's resignation envelope and held it before her. She remained silent for a few seconds and outstretched her arm towards her. Misty gulped. Lorelei looked like she was going to throw the envelope in her face and act indignant.

For a minute, Lorelei's frown looked like it held all her anger and was about to be released upon Misty, who of course, was going to hold her ground and not let Gary be a silly reason not to keep a job.

Lorelei chucked the envelope through the paper shredder.

"You've got a lot of guts, Waterflower," Lorelei said, watching the papers tear up to bits.

Misty stared long and hard as she watched the shredder eat up the paper into vertical fragments.

"A lot more than I do, in fact. That's what makes a good gym leader," Lorelei continued. "Well not the impulsive quitting, but everything else. You go by instinct. You do your job well, work hard, and follow your heart. A person can't _always_ follow the rules... a person is like the flow of water, constantly changing and going. You know how I am… simple as the flow of water but hard as ice when it comes down to business and things that matter. Besides, we couldn't find an actual good replacement for you. No one can match the quality of your training and expertise." She gave a long and dragged sigh, admitting her rare defeat. "Go ahead, be with the one you want. I'm giving you back your job. If you hand me another resignation, I'm not letting you back in. Try to keep those flailing emotions of yours in check."

Misty smiled and clasped her hands together.

"Thank you," she breathed out, feeling the adrenaline rush of winning the most difficult problem she ever encountered. She dashed out the door. "You're still my idol," she reaffirmed, waving back at her. She finally felt whole, a satisfaction of what she deserved. She proudly biked back home, remembering how Miya told her about "loopholes" in the Elite Four. She busted through the doors of her gym.

"Hey Lily, Violet, Daisy. I'm the appointed gym leader now. Get out, get going, and get packing," she ordered.

"Psh, who died and made you queen on the world?" Lily mocked, unpacking all her clothes.

"Go talk to Lorelei if you don't believe me," Misty gloated. "So save yourself the trouble and pack your stuff. You can go back on your tour if you want. I'm not stopping you."

"Misty, we just got here and now you're telling us to leave?"

"Yeah I am. This is my gym, so vamoose!" Misty insisted, gathering her sisters' luggage and shoving it into their arms.

"Don't talk to us like that. What do you mean your gym? We just handed it to you! Much like all the hand-me-down's you have," Violet gnarled, dropping her luggage bags on the floor.

Misty's blood started to boil. Calm down… she thought.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened but this gym means a lot to me. And you guys seem more interested in performing for the audience, so why don't we make a deal? You guys perform in the pool while I conduct gym matches?"

"We're not going to compromise with a runt like you."

Misty looked down. Her sisters would not look her way and continued settling in. Yes, it was their gym but Misty didn't want to see her accomplishments vanish into thin air. She couldn't see any other way but to ask them kindly. "…Please," she begged. "Please give me back the gym. It's all I've got."

Meanwhile, Gary was still driving around. He finally had a plan in mind and didn't intend to unravel it until way later. Every now and then he had the urge to call Misty but he restrained himself. He made a few phone calls and whipped out his skills… he called Lorelei with a planned argument he hoped would change her mind.

"You win," she said in a simple manner and hung up. Gary's eyes lit ups. What? She agreed?

Change of plans. He flipped through his phone book, looking at the list of his colleagues. Maybe he could ask for a favor.

Back at the gym, Misty was sulking in a chair watching her sisters settle in. What stubborn mules, she thought, watching them take over her space. None of her sisters replied to her request and continued ravaging the place.

Daisy sat down next to Misty. Even if she was called the runt of the family, she couldn't stand seeing her little sister mope.

"Misty, you do have to consider our feelings too. This gym is our home. Letting it go… just like that… it's not like you at all. It was really rude when you made us come back here on short notice and then all of a sudden you resign."

Misty kept quiet. She knew better than to argue against something she knew she did something wrong. She only nodded, accepting the error she made.

"Alright, we'll let you do the pokémon battles while we do performances if you promise to never drop the gym again, deal?"

"I can live with that."

Misty hugged Daisy. She missed her sisters after being alone in the gym for so long. Even if she didn't get along with them most of the time, they were her family and that mattered most to her.

The day was very unusual. Misty was so accustomed to being alone that the presence of people in her gym was actually bizarre. The gym had a light feeling, the way Misty felt before having to take over.

Misty did her chores, picking up after her siblings. She felt a bit relieved cooking dinner for someone other than herself. She was almost done putting dishes away when Violet ran out of the hall holding her expensive turquoise dress.

"Misty! When did you buy this? It's so pretty," Violet held out, admiring the beauty of the outfit and dancing around with it. "Can I wear it since you never wear pretty clothes anyway?" she chimed.

"Why are you raiding my closet? Don't touch it!" Misty yelped in an extremely high-pitched voice. She remembered how much money she had to shell out for that dress just for Gary's book signing. It upset her that Violet thought she was so frumpy.

"Oh my god Misty! What is this?" Lily cried out, emerging from the hallway with the old newspaper article from days back. "Professor Gary Oak? I can't believe you snagged a guy like that! Not only that but managed to be with him in a newspaper article with him? How about setting me on a date with him?"

"NO!" screeched Misty. She snatched the dress and newspaper from her sisters and stormed off to her room. She was NOT going to let her sisters have an opportunity to snag Gary. Not one chance. She wasn't going to let Gary know about this. It would only nourish his massive ego. But she got a little joy out of noticing some jealousy out of her sisters after envying them for years and somewhat wanting to be like them.

She sat at her desk. Having her siblings around was good. It gave a warm feeling she hadn't had for a long time, even if they were clueless dolts sometimes. Time passed. Misty glanced at the clock more than a hundred times.

She picked up the cell phone Gary lent her. "I am not going to call first!" Her hand hesitated but she quickly put it down. Why hadn't he called yet? He couldn't have forgotten his own number, had he?

Misty tapped her fingers on the table. "Well, it isn't even 'tonight' anymore! It's the next damn day!" she blustered, watching the clock move a quarter past midnight. She trudged to bed unhappy and very, very pissed.

She could not sleep and ferociously threw her covers aside. Still no missed phone calls from Gary. She pulled out a turquoise coat from the closet and stormed off to the backyard of her gym. She could see winter was ending soon. The backyard pond was thawing and she could see a smidge of grass peeking from the edges of the patio.

She stared off into the sky, hoping that all her efforts were not in vain. She dangled her arms, growing tired of waiting. She was beginning to think Gary wasn't going to show up at all. He said he would be back tonight. That was already yesterday. Misty could not handle waiting indefinitely. She glanced at her watch. Six o'clock in the morning. Misty could see the sunrise and made smoke puffs with her breath. Becoming more irritable, she pulled out Gary's cell and called Miya, forgetting how early it was.

"Don't worry, he'll come. No matter what bad quality someone possesses, they keep their promises," Miya yawned into the receiver, trying to reassure her even though she had no clue whether or not Gary would show.

Miya, being how old she already was, was too sleepy to care but knew the boy would somehow show up and not disappoint Misty. Misty kept belching out her worries to her.

"Anyway, just keep your head up high and he will—" Miya stopped mid-sentence. She heard a huge thud. She wasn't sure if Misty shut the lid to her phone or if she dropped it on the ground. Miya smiled serenely and went back to sleep.

A piece of paper flapped in Misty's face.

Thinking that it was just a piece of stray paper caught in the wind, she snatched it and heatedly tossed it aside.

"Maybe you should read that before throwing it away," a mocking voice suggested.

Misty twirled around. It was him. He finally turned up.

Misty picked the paper off the ground. Her eyes widened and her eyebrows shot halfway up her forehead. She was absolutely ecstatic.

It was the deed to Cerulean Gym.

"You never threw the gym away. It was always yours," he quietly said.

This surprise took Misty awhile to process. She just kept blinking at the piece of paper in her hands.

"You think I just drove off and twiddled my thumbs at home? I've got friends in different industries, ya know? Called up some old friends in law and they helped me out… oh and the royalties from my book can be used to send off certain siblings on another cruise," Gary hinted, winking his eye as if it was all nothing.

Misty was taken aback, jaw dropped. Gary narrowed his eyes to her. "I called in a few favors. The professor here did not seem to mind trading places with me out in Orange Islands."

"_You-you-y-you got the deed?!"_ she stuttered in a high-pitched fashion.

She could only imagine how much money Gary spent on this. She just couldn't believe how much work and time this guy put into just wanting to be with her. She finally knew what she was feeling. She fell for someone like no other. A guy definitely full of himself but owned in practically every pokémon subject matter and not hesitant to show it off to anyone. But she didn't care. Gary was by far, the best choice she'd ever made. She loved everything about him, the way he tousled his hair, the way he came just in the nick of time, just the way he carried himself… she loved it all. Misty was stupefied and at an absolute loss for words. Too stupefied to even notice Gary slipped his arm around her and wrapped his other arm and around her neck. He took a few steps forward and backed her against the exterior wall of the gym.

"And you know why I did all this, right?" he whispered into her ear.

As the sun rose, the roof's icicles gradually started to melt and drop. It greatly resembled the aura of rain. A few water drops splashed against the bottom of Misty's eye lids. She felt the small cold droplets as Gary leaned in and lightly grazed against her lips. She listened with her whole body, feeling the melted ice drops delicately travel down her cheeks as Gary tenderly kissed her lips with every part of gratitude he'd ever felt for her. Misty responded, grabbing his neck and tie, kissing back his remarkably soft lips, progressing into one major make-out session…

Gary wondered why he wasted so much time taunting Ash when this gem was right next to him this whole time! Ash hogged her for way too long. He thought he should have just kidnapped Misty and drove off with her in his fabulous old red convertible back then. He gently put his arms around her waist and held her close and tight as they could not resist each other. She could feel the solidity of his chest and his new cologne fragrance entangling her sense of smell.

Misty leaned against the smooth fabric of Gary's business suit. She had every intention of giving him a piece of her mind for being extremely late and not even as much as a courtesy call, but just feeling of being held by him changed the course of her emotions. She calmed down and finally felt cheery for the first time in a long time, feeling safe in his arms as she thought she would not feel after the whole Ash fiasco. If she thought Ash was quite the hugger and trainer, Gary certainly blew him to last place.

"By the way, who won that match? We never got to settle that argument because a certain someone's pokémon attack hit me," Misty questioned softly into Gary's ear, her warm breath warming the nape of his neck.

"Considering I knocked out your Vaporeon while you beat out hmm…" he pondered, pretending as if he actually had to thinking about it, "NONE of mine… I think I won," Gary boasted with his nose high up in the air, still feeling the tingle from Misty's irresistible yet enjoyable kiss. An ever-growing sneer emerged from the corner of his lips. He fixated into her clear teal eyes and knew she couldn't possibly argue against that.

Misty was put out about this comment and was going to mention she almost defeat his Arkanine. Instead, she swiftly grabbed a handful of snow off the ground.

A snowball splattered against Gary's face, the last thing he ever expected to happen at that very moment.

"Now we're even," she announced, giggling as she tried to escape his grasp. Gary wiped his face and ran after her. He voraciously captured her, twirling her back to him and kissed her once again. He reminisced how he found this beautiful gym leader in the first place— in the mountains and with a snowball pelted to the head.

---

A few warmer weeks later, the paperboy started his daily morning route at the break of dawn. He sloppily threw each newspaper to every house on the block. The last stop on his route was Cerulean Gym.

There was a huge picture of the Elite Four members on today's newspaper. The headline focused on the reform of a few regulations and mainly Lorelei and Lance. Of course the paperboy saw that, it was displayed in huge letters and he had several copies in his knapsack. Before he tossed the last paper to the front of his final destination, a smaller headline caught his eye. It had a distinct picture of two people smiling.

"_Gary Oak, new official professor of Cerulean City along side his girlfriend, Misty Waterflower of Cerulean Gym," _it said.

---

_End._

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

My sincere apologies for a prolonged hiatus! I want to thank everyone who took the time to drop comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism, it truly helped me grow as a writer. Thank you all so much.

To the lovely _Maia's Pen_, thanks a million for being my beta-reader. Also to _ChaseVoid_ (and in response to your comment, yes I think I am a cliffhanger-shipper) for correcting a few location continuity errors for me, they really helped.

Sayonara… for now…


End file.
